Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes
by WalkThruTheFire
Summary: The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak are taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance?
1. Chapter 1

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **I only own what you don't recognize.

**Dedication: **This first chapter is for the dream.

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter One

---

This is ridiculous. I've never been able to bloody _stand_ Thea and her nice-nice attitude – people call her 'wise' and all that, but I just didn't see it. She's soft-hearted, but since when does that guarantee her being right? And now, her plan to _negotiate_ with the Night World and their cronies?

"Thea, you're insane. There is NO WAY that Ragnar will listen to any of our emissaries. He's too caught up in his search for the fourth Wild Power!" a plaintive voice called out.

Wait, that voice was mine! I winced as everyone glared at me for interrupting for what is perhaps the twelfth time in as many minutes. Oh wait, not everyone. Keller and Rashel are nodding in agreement, and Ash is – um, getting far too friendly with Mary-Lynette in a public place.

Thea fixes me with a firm brown-eyed stare. "Belladonna, what now?"

I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips.

"I'm sorry; I meant – Bee, what now?"

Yes. You read right. My name is Belladonna. And no, I'm not a Night Person. I'm not lamia, to be given a 'natural' name. No, I'm just the daughter of a good old-fashioned run-of-the-mill average PSYCHO. I'll come to that later though; everyone's staring at me expectantly. I rise to my feet, utterly comfortable – speaking is something I've been doing for almost my entire life, after all.

"Listen, Thea. As much as you hate to admit it to yourself, Ragnar is just as bad as Hunter. As wonderful as it is that Hunter is gone –" Here I paused and gave a congratulatory nod to Delos, who is standing by the bay windows; tall, cool, and arrogant. "Ragnar is more of a threat. Hunter was at least predictable. We don't know anything about Ragnar, his motives or desires. We know he's just as cunning and as intelligent as Hunter, but he's stronger, more brutal. Hunter had a side of diplomacy to his dealings – Ragnar is of a different breed. He's lured countless lamia and shape shifters and witches to his side by promising them an endless supply of human, well, meals."

I glanced around. Everyone was staring at me, eyes fixed. Mother always did say I had the gift of 'people-speaking', as she called it.

"Now, as much as we need the Crowley Crystal, we cannot rely on the other side! What, we waltz in and say 'Hey guys, we need to find the fourth Wild Power so would you mind helping us locate that amazingly powerful crystal so we can scry for him or her? We'll let you kill him slash her later, we promise'. God, Thea! Possible scenarios: He kills our representative and searches for the gem himself, he joins up with us and then kills us once he's found it, or…yeah that's it. We still end up being slaughtered. He cannot be trusted under _any_ circumstances."

Thea looked hurt, and I felt a little guilty, but squashed it down.

"You're absolutely right Bee," Thea began. "But what's our other option? We need to find the crystal – it's our last chance at locating the final Wild Power."

I hugged her tightly. "Thea…you know what we have to do."

"I know. But it's risky. It'll take knowledge that our spies can't even _begin_ to discover."

"We've got to take that risk." I looked around. Circle Daybreak were nodding along with me, faces grim, jaws set.

Okay, I'll just pause right there for a moment so I can explain some things to you.

FACT: My name is Belladonna Turner. I am not a Night Person, not a shifter or a vampire or a witch. I'm just a plain old ordinary teenage human girl. My mother was under the impression that Belladonna was a beautiful name. I disagree. People call me Bee, or Don. I like Don. It makes me sound like I'm in the Mafia. Mwahaha.

FACT: I am a Daybreaker. Trust me, they would be entirely lost without me, if I do say so myself. But a brief breakdown – the millennium is edging closer and closer, and with it; the end of the world. We still haven't found the fourth and final Wild Power, and time is running out. Hence, our crazy plan to find the Crowley Crystal. Might I also add that this ingenious plan was thought of by our crack team that comprises of me, Hannah, Gillian, and Jez. We argue a lot.

FACT: The Crowley Crystal is an immensely powerful magical artifact that both sides are after. The crystal can be used to locate the remaining Wild Power.

FACT: The Night World is still out and about. Well, duh, of course. Although Delos got rid of Hunter; Ragnar, one of the oldest made vampires around and Hunter's second-in-command has taken over. He's vicious and brutal and needs to be killed. Soon. Preferably by me.

FACT: We still haven't figured out who 'the witch who isn't a witch' or whatever that stupid dragon said, is. Said witch may be at this very moment waking up more dragons.

FACT: We are screwed. Unless we put aforementioned crazy plan into action. What is this crazy plan, you may ask? Oh, we're just going to send someone into the Night World to spy and figure out whether our enemies are any closer to finding the crystal or Wild Power than we are. Just one person, alone. Not to mention that first we have to find out where their base is. Not a problem. Nope.

FACT: Did I mention we are screwed?

Anyway, back to the meeting.

Jez spoke up, flipping her wild red hair over her shoulders. "Thea, Bee is right. We need to send someone in as soon as we can. We start by infiltrating the clubs – the Black Iris, the Death Prayer, the Etas Besanar. Once we've got someone we know is high up in the Council, we follow them and work our way in."

"You keep saying 'we', Jez. You realize this is a solo operation?" Rashel, no doubt. I chanced a look. Yep – Rashel, her fierce green eyes blazing.

The two just couldn't help needling at each other, but that was just a front for the deep respect they have for each other.

"I realize that, _Shelly_. It was a figure of speech."

Galen cleared his throat. "That's great, you guys – can we get back on topic?"

Ahh, Galen. As calm as ever. Ever since he's chosen his animal and became a real shifter, he's been a bit more predatory and less squeamish about the whole fighting aspect of our war. It's a bit of a shame – he had an innocent heart, those are hard to find.

"Listen, this is all just going over what we already know. We can't keep planning and not doing. We've got to send someone in." David, looking around with that quizzical expression of his.

"We do." I stood. "I'm going."

Instant uproar.

Huh. That's reassuring.

"You're crazy! You're a human, what can you do?" That would be Keller.

"Excuse _me_; being human doesn't make you less than a vampire!" And Rashel.

"She means that Bee won't be able to get in as easily as, say, _me_."

"The Night World won't accept humans! On _any_ circumstances!" Eric called, his sandy hair flopping into his eyes.

Okay, time for my input.

"GUYS! Shut up. It makes sense for me to go. Keller, I'm human, so what? Rashel, sing it girl. Morgead, you've gone down in vampire annals as THE WHIPPED ONE, so don't get cocky. Eric, thank you for your point. It's valid."

I looked around.

"Who else thinks they can do it?"

Hands flew up – Rashel, Keller, Jez, Ash, Morgead, Delos, Quinn, James – I stopped counting. Pretty much everyone in the damn room.

"Well, that's too bad. Because you know the first rule of war – don't lose anything indispensable."

Expressions of skepticism.

"Bee, sweetheart, that's very touching, but none of us – with the exception of the three Wild Powers – is indispensable."

"Oh yeah? Well, Ash, look to your right. That girl Mary-Lynette there? Is she dispensable?"

Ash blinked with those ever-changing eyes – at this moment sea green. "Touché."

"Thank you." I gazed around at the room. "You are all indispensable. And I'm not saying this to be thoughtful – it's a strategic decision. One of you dies; your soulmate will be useless. And at this point in the war, we need all the people we can get."

Thierry rose to his feet and I met his gaze straight on. "Belladonna –"

"Bee! I don't care if you _are_ the boss here!"

Thierry chuckled. "Bee, then. Forgive me, I'm a little old-fashioned. You make good points, Bee, but there are as many against you. You're a human, and while I don't contest that humans are perfectly competent, Night Worlders won't allow you near them. I'm sorry, it's much too dangerous. We need to send a Night Person. I myself was considering someone like Lupe."

I glared at Thierry. "Listen, sir, Lupe and her staff are busy protecting the Wild Powers and the members of Daybreak who can't take care of themselves."

Oops, that wasn't really a politically correct thing to say, was it? Oh well, these guys are used to my bluntness and lack of tact.

"Timmy, Melusine, the people from the Dark Kingdom? They need her. It has to be one of us – one of the inner circle – who goes. And I'm the only one who isn't a Wild Power or with baggage. Uh, I mean, with a soulmate."

Thierry sighed. "Stop arguing. There really isn't anything we can do, Bee – unless you get yourself turned into a shifter or vampire – WHICH YOU WILL NOT DO." He glared at me. "Not for the sake of a mission." As I opened my mouth to argue he looked at me testily. "Tell me; are you in possession of a death wish? Shut up!"

I rolled my eyes. "I have to go. It's your only option."

"They'll kill you," Hannah said, looking at me with wide, pure Old Soul eyes.

"Maybe. But that's better, isn't it? I'm a human – I die easier. Less time to give out information. And if I manage to convince them that I'm some sort of traitor to my species, they'll let me in. It's do or die, Hannah."

"But Bee…"

I looked into Gillian's violet orbs. "Gill – you're one of my best friends. Don't go against me too."

It was at that precise moment that the answer to all our problems arrived. Of course, we didn't know that. Me? I thought it was the beginning of them.

---

**This story is just something that I dreamed up one night and began writing. I'd like to know what you think. You can expect the next update very soon, as I know this chapter is pretty short.**

Notes

My beta, Spookie 33333 pwns. And I love her to death. And beyond. If she were an Old Soul, I'd be her Thierry.

_Etas Besanar_ – when you add a certain word onto the front of that, it becomes a Name of Power that is said to 'call up all the spirits of hell'.

_Crowley Crystal ­_– named for Alexander Crowley. More in upcoming chapters.

_Ragnar_ – is a name that took me forever to come up with, it means 'Judgment Warrior' in Old Norse.

_Death Prayer_ – is a term used to describe a technique designed to deprive a person of life, e.g. the ability to command demons to kill the living.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Night World, I rent.

**Dedication: **This first chapter is for my beloved beta, Spookie, who takes me for what I am, who I was meant to be.

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter Two

---

The door opened and the entire inner circle spun to see who it was. A figure walked in, and the first thing I thought was: _ice_. An arctic blast of air seemed to swirl in with the figure, and the light from the room illuminated his figure. He was lean, elegant, tall – just between Ash's lanky 6'3 and Morgead's less imposing 6'0. He moved with the slow, predatory grace of a Night Person, deliberate, calculated. He was wearing black from head-to-toe – black jeans, black t-shirt, a black leather jacket.

His features were handsome, I'm sure, but I didn't see him as someone I'd be attracted to. There was no emotion in them – not even a flicker. He was gorgeous, but devoid of any feeling; which, truth be told, unnerved me. Sensuous lips, ivory skin, hair the color of frost – so blond it appeared silver-white, and a well-muscled body.

But those eyes…framed by eyelashes the same shade as his gleaming hair, those eyes were…

They weren't silver or gray or light blue…there was no word for them. They were the color of clouds on a rainy day, so at first I thought they were gray. Then the light changed and they seemed the lightest of azures. Then again, silver. They weren't like Ash's, which changed color one moment to the next. They were just…I don't know. It seems enough to call them gray, but they weren't. Gray is average. Gray is boring. These were…

They're not gray, or blue, or silver, but some weird mix. I can't place it – steel-gray? But they're almost…luminescent. Like moonlight.

"Sir! He just walked in and said that he had to see you – he says he's from the Council, but that's all he'll tell me." Lupe's yellow eyes were wide as she suddenly appeared in the doorway, breathing hard.

"Thank you, Lupe." Thierry's steady eyes settled on the boy and he smiled. "Please, sit down."

Yes, before you ask – Thierry _is_, in fact, completely crazy.

Mistrust was etched on several of the faces in the crowd, while others held curiosity. Me? I was just frustrated. We had better things to do than listen to some person who looked like an ice statue – perfect, yet oh-so-cold.

Lupe's eyes narrowed in consternation. "I'll be just outside the door, sir." With that, she backed out and shut the door behind her.

"Well, how can we help you?" Thierry asked politely, with just the smallest of placating nods at the more violent Daybreakers.

"It's actually more of how I can help you." The statue's voice was like his looks – disdainfully detached, cold, unemotional.

"I'm from the Council. They have the Crowley Crystal, which I know Daybreak is looking for. I'm here to lead you to it."

For the second time that day, there was uproar.

"QUIET!" Thierry shouted, his eyes never leaving the ice statue's face. "Who are you, and what's your connection with the Council?"

"My name is Nick." That was all. No inflection, no feeling in his words. "I used to be part of the Night World. Now I'm not."

"You're asking to join Daybreak?" my voice was filled with derision. Then, I winced slightly as those stormy eyes looked my way and quietly looked me up and down. I glared back, daring him to say something. A faint smile – no, not even a smile. A corner of his mouth twitched slightly and then he turned back to Thierry. I was dismissed. My mouth fell open in disbelief and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Maggie hide an amused smile behind her hand. I shot her a glare and she put on an innocent expression. I couldn't believe this guy – when I talk, people listen! I'm not on some sort of power trip here, it's just the truth – I have this innate talent for grabbing all the attention in a room when I speak. How the hell was he immune!

"I'm not asking to join Daybreak." His voice held a tinge of disgust. "I'm leaving my…previous alliance."

"So you're a mercenary? Working for whoever pays best?" Poppy seemed quietly curious.

"I don't trust him." Keller, of course.

"Everyone, please. Calm down. Let's hear him out."

The ice statue – um, Nick – just sat there as the Daybreakers argued, not even moving. His features betrayed none of his thoughts, but his stance suggested boredom.

"Nick, please explain in detail why you are here. I can _promise_," at this Thierry glared at everyone, "no interruptions."

"There's not much. I used to be part of the Council. I know that they have the Crowley Crystal. Now, I'm here. I'm offering to lead you to the crystal."

"For what? What do you get out of it?" Quinn asked coolly, his voice almost as icy as this mysterious newcomer's.

"Nothing."

"Ridiculous," snorted Delos.

A raised eyebrow. "Is it that you must always do something for a reward? Isn't that completely against what you Daybreakers stand for?"

He had us there. This guy was good.

"You're not a Daybreaker though. You're with our enemies." James objected.

"Were – past tense. Not any longer. While that may not make me a Daybreaker, it does mean I'm no longer with the Night World."

A silence.

"Unless, of course, you are suggesting that anyone who's not a Daybreaker is automatically with the Council."

That did it. His courteous tone, his polite words – I shot out of my seat, seething with anger. "That's not what we mean! How can we trust you?"

"You don't have to. I just need a simple yes or no, Thierry. If it's a no, I shall leave and carry on with my own life – with no allegiances to anyone, if your overanxious ward was wondering –" he shot me an even look. "If it's a yes, then I will get moving."

Thierry frowned. "I'll need a moment."

Well, that was all I needed. I turned and strode over to Thierry, slamming my palms down on the table. "Thierry, this is ridiculous!"

"Bee, relax." Hannah laid a hand on my arm and shushed me; leading me over to a settee and making me sit down. She settled next to me, her hand still on my arm.

"Nick, I must confess that I am slightly confused as to why you would deign to help what previously used to be the enemy?"

"Previously, not any longer. Listen to me, Thierry – I have my reasons. I cannot explain them. I don't need your trust. I am offering you what you need. Is it a yes or a no?"

"Wait! If the Night World Council have the crystal, why haven't they used it yet?" That _excellent_ question was from Mary-Lynette, her normally calm voice hostile.

Of course, Nick had an answer for _that_ too. "They've tried to scry for the fourth Wild Power, but they can't without something to lead them."

"Meaning…?" Keller asked tauntingly. Nick didn't even blink.

"Meaning blood, hair, or skin from a known Wild Power. They've been hanging on to the crystal in the hope that Circle Daybreak would send a delegation to negotiate, and they could seize a Wild Power then."

At this news, I shot Thea a knowing look and she nodded, acknowledging that the point I'd been trying to make earlier had been proven.

Thierry sighed. He paused.

"Nick, we would be honored to have you on our team, for however long as you will stay."

"WHAT?"

And another case of uproar.

"One at a time! Please!"

"Thierry, how can you trust him?" Gillian's eyes sparked.

"We can't. Daybreakers, am I right in thinking that we all don't trust Nick because we do not know him, because he worked for the other side?"

Mixed noises of assent.

"Well, he's offering us what we need. And we have to take a chance."

Hannah stood and looked around, her wise eyes beseeching. "Guys, I know you disagree. But we're at a stalemate here. We've got to take some risks."

Iliana stood. "You're right Thea. But…can't one of us go with him? Nick won't be going alone, will he?"

Thierry looked at Nick.

"I don't mind if you put one of your agents with me, but I'd like to remind you that the Night World Council has a list of known Daybreakers. And your inner circle isn't exactly low-profile." He looked around uninterestedly. "Several Redferns – by blood if not by name, three witches – two who have the Harman eyes and another who is the spitting image of Hellewise, the prince of the Drache family, the shifter who got rid of the last dragon, the Cat, and Hunter Redfern's adopted son. Not to mention a gaggle of vermin."

Hannah looked up. "We don't call humans vermin."

"Perhaps _you_ don't."

"Okay, what the hell? Screw you, man –" David stood, frowning. "Thierry, how can we trust this guy? He's calling half the circle vermin."

"We've established that we _can't_, David. That's the problem."

"How do we know it's not a trap?"

"Yeah, he could be still be working for the Night World!" Eric agreed with Phil North.

"Of course. It's part of my dastardly plot. I go and procure the Crystal for you and then steal it back for them."

Eric stood angrily.

"Guys! Shut up! The testosterone here is beginning to clog my arteries." I stood and pushed aside the standing forms.

"Listen, Thierry. This guy has a point. We don't lose anything – if he gets the crystal, we're ahead. If not…well…what do we lose? He's seen your mansion, but that's all. The Wild Powers are all kept in different safe houses. It's not like he can spring an ambush." I turned to the rest of the inner circle. "Y'all, like we agreed – it's do or die. And we're at the point where it can only get better."

Thierry nodded. "Excellently said, Bee. Nick, Circle Daybreak accepts your generous offer, and asks you to remember that anything you ask for, if it is in our power to give it, will be yours."

"Whoa, whoa. I wasn't done." I interrupted. "I'm not saying we trust this guy totally. We have to send someone with him."

This time, Nick joined the others in giving me a disapproving she's-gone-nuts look.

"At the very least Nick, it's a two person job." Okay, was I trying to get this jerk to side with me?

Nick conceded, his face still a study in dispassion. "But as I said before – your most trusted agents are too high-profile."

I looked at Thierry. "But I'm not. Thierry, you know it makes sense. I have no soulmate, I'm not a Harman or Drache or Redfern."

"You're human." Thierry pointed out. I pouted, as childish as it seems.

"Pawn."

I turned. "I beg your pardon?"

Nick returned my look, not even flinching. In fact, he didn't even treat it as though it was worth notice – he just stared as though I was some mildly-interesting photo. He turned back to Thierry.

"I understand that you would want to send an agent with me, and that's my best idea regarding the matter. It'd also be much easier than my trying to explain a new vampire or shifter member without Ragnar performing extensive background checks. It's much less risky if this…person…pretends to be under mind control. That eliminates suspicion and she can wander around the facility completely unsuspected."

That was practically a speech for the icy, detached statue. And it was a good idea.

Thierry expelled a breath.

"Everyone except the Wild Powers, can you please leave while I speak to Nick alone?"

"What!"

Thierry looked up. "Keller, please!"

Grudgingly, slowly, the members of the inner circle of Daybreak shuffled off, muttering mutinously. I, too, rose to my feet, walking as slowly as I possibly could.

"Belladon – uh, Bee. Would you please stay too?"

I turned. A lot of the circle had left – Iliana, Jez, and Delos were still there. Surprising. I'd expected Phil, Morgead, and Maggie to be hanging around their respective soulmates.

Thierry sat down, and for a brief moment I saw the old, old spirit that was in him. As young as he looked, he carried with him the burden of the centuries. What would that be like? Wandering the earth for years, living ceaselessly and watching all you cared about crumble with age around you?

"Well. Nick, your offer is very generous, and if it succeeds, Circle Daybreak will be indebted to you. You'll always have us as sanctuary."

"I won't need it."

My eyes narrowed. Of all the arrogant, ungrateful –

Thierry caught my eye and smiled. "Bee, relax." He turned his attention to the Wild Powers. "Listen, you three – you're all the day has against the night. What do you think?"

Iliana was first to speak. "Oh, Thierry – it's a really dangerous idea if Bee goes through with it! I mean…I've thought about it, and there doesn't seem to be any way that this could be a trap. She's right when she says we don't really lose anything, except time and that's worth it, isn't it? But…I just don't like the idea of Bee running amok in a Night World base, snooping around – what if she got caught?"

Thierry looked at Nick and Nick shrugged. "I'm sure she'd come up with something."

Okay, deep breaths girl. Deep breaths. Count backwards from ten. Ram a stake into his – okay, calm. Calm.

"Illy, seriously. I'll be fine. It'll be easier for two people to go – you told me that, remember? One for distraction and one to actually do what needs doing? Also, I might always pick up some noteworthy stuff about the enemy."

Iliana's beautiful hair glistened as she chewed on her lower lip. "I know Bee – but I worry."

Jez spoke up. "I think it's an excellent idea, Thierry, and I am behind Bee a hundred percent."

God, I love Jez.

"I just wish I could be the one going. I mean, I'm part human." She sighed. "But I can't, can I?"

"No. No you can't." Thierry looked sympathetic.

This is totally twisted. We're arguing over who gets to go on a possible suicide mission?

Well, I guess that's harsh. We're not, really. We're just…we want this to succeed. We want – no, we _need_ to win. And of course, each of us have our own different strengths, and feel that we'd be the best at it.

Me? I wanted to do it. This would be a defining point in the war. And this point would go to Daybreak – specifically, the humans of Daybreak.

Delos spoke up next, his smooth voice and hawk-like eyes piercing. "I've had a thought. What if this is an elaborate ruse to kidnap one of the members of the inner circle and get him or her to release information?"

I looked at Delos with admiration. He truly has a tactician's mind. I guess he must've gotten that from his Redfern genes – look at Hunter. "Actually, like I said earlier Delos – humans die easier, don't they?"

"Turned humans don't."

I scoffed. "Delos, even as a vampire you think I'd forget my allegiances? No way."

I looked around. "Oh come on! We're debating the different ways I could _die_? Your faith in me is _so_ reassuring."

Thierry relaxed. "You're right. But, Bee…if anything…if it happens…" he couldn't bring himself to say it. I knew that Thierry hated the burdens of being leader, of making life-or-death decisions.

"Thierry – if it's a trap, I promise you that you'll never hear from me again, and the Night World won't be troubling you more than it is now."

Iliana shivered. "Can we stop being so morbid? Please!"

I chuckled. "Sorry Illy."

"Well. Thank you Jez, Delos, Iliana…now, if I may speak to Nick and Bee? The less people who know details about this –"

"We understand." Jez nodded, her defiant face smiling. She patted my arm on the way out. Delos gave me a perfunctory nod – extravagant attention from him – and Iliana squeezed my hand. "You carry with you the hopes of Circle Daybreak," she whispered.

Well. No pressure then.

---

**Well, that's Chapter Two up! Things really start progressing in the next few chapters – don't you love it once you've gotten rid of all that background information stuff and can proceed to really _writing_ the story?**

Notes

_Scry_ – A method of divination using a shiny stone, crystal ball, mirror, or even a body of water.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **I think they meant it when they said you can't buy The Night World, now I know you can rent it.

**Dedication: **Twix, who had better call me. After all, you only turn sixteen once. 525600 minutes and all.

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter Three

---

When Thierry FINALLY let us go, I promptly staggered to my room and crashed onto my bed. Honestly, Thierry's going to be a _great_ dad with that attitude. Yeesh. And he seemed really worried about that Nick person and all. Meh. He didn't look that tough.

Okay, who was I kidding? He's lamia (yep. Thierry managed to get that out of him. Frankly, surprises me – Nick was harder to crack than concrete. I mean, if all our agents had his tenacity? We'd be immune to _anything_), not to mention a handful of inches taller. Don't worry, I wasn't stupid – I'd be carrying a big stake with me whenever around him.

Although I probably couldn't do that while pretending to be his pawn.

I mean, I'm not having second thoughts or anything. Most of the time I'll be in his living quarters, and the times I wasn't, I'd be sneaking around the complex. We'd only be together when we needed to sleep or…you know, eat.

Okay, what if he bites me?

HE WON'T BITE ME.

Right?

Okay, definitely having second thoughts.

I needed some fresh air.

Of course, when I made my way to the study the inner circle had been earlier and threw open the windows to go onto the balcony, guess who was there? Yep, Frosty himself. I turned to go back to my room – from what I could see, the Ice Prince was staring up at the radiant sunset as the cool breeze ruffled his white-blond hair.

"Scared?" the cold, emotionless voice stole up my neck like an ice cube.

Whoa now. SCARED? Belladonna Turner isn't scared of ANYTHING.

I turned and strode out to the balcony, and just to show I wasn't scared in the least, deliberately stood next to him.

"Not scared of anything." I replied, trying to mimic his passionless, bland tone. Well, okay, that was an outright lie – I'm terrified of heights, the dark, and that freaky chick with the bad haircut from _The Ring_. But he didn't know that so: no problem.

No answer. He's so infuriating!

"So, how are you?"

No answer. Not much for small talk, eh?

"If we get caught, you realize it'll mean death for the both of us?"

"Yes."

Finally! An answer! Monosyllabic as it was.

"What do you even know about the Crowley Crystal anyway? Why should we trust you?"

"The Crowley Crystal." His tone held a hint of challenge. "Named for Aleister Crowley, 1875 to 1947, an English occultist viewed by the media as the wickedest man in the world. Infamous for supposed black magic and sacrificial rites but in reality just an indiscreet member of the Night World. The crystal has no real power but is simply a vessel that Crowley used instead of a familiar. Using the remaining power, the crystal can be used to scry not only across the world but across time and space as well. I don't need your trust."

Well. He may have been an arrogant prick, but he knew his history, I'd give him that. Or at the very least, his Night World lore. Um…subject change, reclaim dignity.

"So…this pawn deal. Um…it doesn't include, well, biting, does it?"

"Do you want it to?"

I looked up, shocked. That sounded – well, the words themselves sounded vaguely flirtatious. But no, the Ice Prince was being serious. Was he crazy? I mean, quite literally – was he unhinged? I didn't bother answering, and he didn't press for an answer. He still hadn't shifted from his position, was still staring straight out to the horizon, where the sun was rapidly sinking.

"It's almost sundown. We leave then. How will we get there? I mean, are we walking?"

"I have a bike."

Oh, be still my heart.

"A bike?"

"I'm fairly certain that's what I said."

"I know, I mean – what kind of bike?"

Nick turned slightly and gave me a steady look – not that he seemed capable of any other kind.

"A Mongoose."

I swear, I nearly collapsed right there. _THIS _guy rode a MONGOOSE? Okay, the irony of the world was complete. I finally find someone with decent bike taste and he turns out to be…well.

What was Nick, really? He wasn't with Daybreak, yet he wasn't with our enemies. That definitely made him unique – there's really only the daylight or darkness now. He was lamia. But that didn't make him a Night Worlder either. He was…

He was _frozen_.

I checked my watch. I had about twelve minutes to figure out the guy who'd be my partner in espionage for the next week or so.

"So why did you decide to leave the Night World?"

Not even a flicker of emotion – I guess reading body language wouldn't be that useful here. I decided to take a wild stab in the dark.

"You know, Nick, sometimes talking about things helps."

"Not when it never stops."

Okay, that was definitely an insult. Right?

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Again, no answer. Argh, this guy was infuriating! He wasn't just quiet – you could _tell_ that he was doing it just to bug me. I turned and tried to catch his eye so I could glare at him. He still didn't shift, still stared the sinking sun down. There was only the barest sliver of daylight left. It illuminated his moonlight-like features. Truly, he did have a uniquely handsome face and wonderful coloring – silver-blond hair that looked as soft as the newly-fallen snow, the color of burnished white gold. Surprisingly full and curvaceous lips. You wouldn't expect such a sensitive-looking mouth on someone who seemed to be sculpted from ice. And those eyes – like moonlight, like when you wake up in the morning and look out your window and it's raining – that strange, hypnotic mix of blue-gray that was almost silver, but not quite.

"Are you done? Should I shift so you can stare at my other side?"

My mouth fell open and a red flush crept down my face. "Don't be ridiculous. I was just…trying to see if, um –"

"If you could figure out exactly what I was thinking by staring at me for a prolonged period of time?" he finally spun to look at me, and the moment those glacial eyes gazed into mine, I felt like I was pinned to where I was standing. And I felt something I've felt on very few occasions in my entire life.

Fear.

I was scared. Not of Nick himself, not of the fact that he could easily snap me like a twig, but of those eyes that seemed to carry another world within them.

"Belladonna, I advise you now – I've heard and seen enough of you that I know you're exceptionally talented at reading people, at figuring them out."

He leaned closer, those cold, steely eyes boring into me. "But your talent ends when it comes to me – so don't even bother because it will just frustrate you and irritate me. Are we clear?"

I swallowed. Regroup. "Crystal. And for the record? It's _Bee_. Are _we_ clear?"

"Absolutely, Belladonna."

I scowled. A smartass, huh? "Bee."

"Your name is Belladonna."

"Yes, I'm glad you know that. But nobody calls me that."

"I do."

"And what exactly makes you so special that you get this privilege?"

He tilted his head to the side, as though I was a momentarily-absorbing book. "I'm Nick."

With that, he straightened and resumed looking at the now-dark sky. "It's time for me to go. If you're coming, get changed. I assume you've already packed."

I hefted the small bag in my hand. "A few clothes and lots of stakes and silver."

"Fascinating. Hurry and get changed."

"Excuse me?" I looked down. I was wearing standard mission garb – black jeans, black tee, hair tied back, sneakers. Kinda cool, I thought – besides the fact that now Nick and I looked like we were one of those weird couples that dressed alike.

Nick rubbed a hand against his temples in a world-weary manner.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Nick raised a perfect eyebrow. "You look like a Daybreak agent."

"Well, that's what I _am_."

"You're a Daybreak agent who's going undercover as a pawn."

I glanced down. Still seemed fine to me. Then, belatedly, it clicked. "Oh, so you're saying I don't look trashy enough to be a pawn?"

Nick considered that for a moment or two. "Yes, that would be what I'm saying."

I glared, tiny sparks of anger flashing in my eyes, and then stomped my foot.

"Absolutely not. I refuse to dress up like one of your slutty human puppets. Is that what the lamia are reduced to, strolling human clubs for pathetic excuses for girls to hypnotize and use?"

"No. The hypnosis isn't necessary."

My mouth fell open in shock. It was like he instinctively _knew_ what to say to piss me off, seriously. And yet, he seemed perfectly frank and, well, dispassionate.

God, I _hated_ him. I could feel black anger seething in me, billowing below the surface. I was surprised he couldn't feel it. Or maybe he could, and just didn't care.

"Shit. They don't pay me enough for this." I stalked out of there, slamming several doors on the way back to my room. "They don't freaking pay me at all!"

In my room, I threw open the closet doors and, biting my lip, picked out my most unsuitable-for-a-mission clothes. I quickly pulled my t-shirt over my head, then ripped my jeans off, tossing them angrily onto the bed. God, I was pissed. Nick was positively the most infuriating, irritating, exasperating, maddening – ARGH!

"Trashy, huh? Okay, trashy it is." I glared at my reflection, as though daring her to say anything. Could I do this? I mean, I wasn't bad-looking or anything – which was good, convincing – Night People don't exactly pick up unattractive humans, if you get my drift.

"How are we going to pull this off?" I whispered to the girl in the mirror. She stared back, and her features creased into a determined smile. She had wavy dark hair and striking eyes that some people called black but were really dark brown, something you could only make out from a few inches away. She had full red lips, long eyelashes. An altogether okay-looking, attractive face. Not exactly Miss Universe, but not hideous. She could do this. _I_ could do this.

Minutes later, I stepped into the entrance hall, bedecked in pawn attire. Hannah, Jez and Gillian were there, waiting to send me off as Thierry had left earlier on some mission or another.

"What are you staring at?"

"Nothing! … Your hair in the moonlight – you look familiar. Can you make it?"

I rolled my eyes. "Gillian, not the time for RENTheadededness."

"Aww, you know you want to!'

I sighed. "Just haven't eaten much today, at least the room stopped spinning…" I spun theatrically, "Anyway."

Jez chuckled. "You look different, Bee. It suits you."

I put on a sulky expression. "No, I really don't think so."

Hannah interrupted the frivolity, taking me by the arm and leading me over to a mirror.

"Bee – relax. Look at the girl in the mirror. She's you, for the next few days. Can you do it?"

I gazed at my wild-looking reflection. I'd let my wavy black hair down for once. My dark eyes had kohl around them. I was wearing a midnight-black miniskirt, more like a wide belt, in my opinion. It was short, tight, and the fabric was thin – I'd freeze in this outfit. On top I was wearing a skin-tight black halter with a low scoop neck.

"Okay, this is some scary shit."

Gillian kissed me on the cheek. "I think you look cute."

I groaned. This outfit was everything I loathed about clothes – tight, clinging, form-fitting – in a word? Constricting.

And yet, at the same time, it seemed to let something loose in me. Some_one_. And she was brave, wild, sexy, daring. She didn't think every little thing to death; she didn't agonize over the smallest details.

I'd need her in this mission. I'd have to keep her around. The sick thing was: I kinda liked her. I've been accused of both thinking too much and being too rash and impulsive. Contradictory statements, in my opinion. I liked to think of this girl as the reckless part of me.

After many hugs and supportive statements, I was finally allowed to go. I turned and gazed at my three best friends, smiling confidently. They needed to see that confidence.

"I'll see you guys soon."

With that, I hefted my canvas bag in one hand and started off across the grounds towards where a silver and black motorbike shone in the moonlight. I saw Nick fussing with it, straightening something or other and throwing something across the back. Then he heard my footsteps, despite the fact I was trying to be as quiet as possible (damn lamia hearing) and turned. I saw his dispassionate, cold face look slightly bemused, and then, I thought I saw his eyes widen just a fraction. In what though, I wondered. Disgust? Surprise? Scorn?

As I neared him, he climbed onto the Mongoose and held a hand out to help me. Well, that's rather nice.

"Trashy enough?" I asked, my tone challenging.

"Not really. But I guess if it's the best you can do." His reply was simple, noncommittal.

My God, he was just _begging_ for me to stake him.

"How far are we going?" As soon as the words left my mouth, I blushed, mentally slapping myself. Nick, however, didn't seem to notice a thing – "We'll be there in two, maybe three hours."

I climbed on behind him, and rested against his back with my thighs brushing his hips. My skirt rode up, uncomfortably high.

I was not liking this, not at all, especially the overly-close proximity to a vampire. I tried to inch backwards, but then saw there was no backrest on the cycle. Not good – I could go flying off at any moment.

"Scared?"

My head snapped up, and I fixed his leather jacket-clad back with my most withering gaze. What was his fascination with that damn question! "Hell no."

"Hold on then."

Was that a warning or a threat? I opened my mouth to ask but then shut it as the bike roared to life and accelerated, leaving the mansion's grounds in a matter of seconds. My hands automatically slipped around his waist as I held on for dear life, trying to concentrate on staying on the bike instead of the ridges of muscle underneath my fingertips. The wind howled bitterly – it was really an EFFING cold night. The wind buffeted and forced me to close my eyes against the stinging iciness, and I automatically pressed my cheek in between Nick's shoulder blades, my eyes shut. I tried my best to shut it all out – the ripple of his abdominal muscles, the warmth that I somehow felt radiating from him despite his wintry demeanor, how his lean hips felt like they fit against my –

This was the _worst_ thing that could possibly happen, not to mention one of the most humiliating situations I've ever been in. Of course, Nick didn't seem at all fazed; in fact, he hardly noticed that there was this skimpily-dressed girl clinging to him in a way that was almost obscene. When I saw that, it really didn't seem that bad. He didn't seem to feel uncomfortable, so why should I? He probably didn't even realize I was there, so immersed was he in his pathetic, pretentious, cold little world.

When I repeated that to myself several times, I was also able to concede that it wasn't that bad.

In fact, it was rather nice…

---

**Well. Yes. Please review and tell me what you think.**

Notes

_Crowley Crystal _– my beloved beta says it makes the entire fic sound like a murder mystery, or something very Brit, and that fits because Alexander Crowley _was_ British! The information Nick gave is pretty much true, except for the whole Night World part.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **Not mine not mine!

**Dedication: **I wish it were all that easy.

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter One

---

We stopped three times that night.

The first stop was at a gas station, and as soon as Nick pulled over I climbed off the bike, trying to shake some sense back into myself. After an hour of clinging to the strong, well-built vampire, my thoughts had gotten a little blurry, so suffused was I in _his_ scent, _his_ body. When for an hour your entire world, the only constant thing in your world, is a person, you tend to be disoriented after that hour. I walked around a little, trying to shake myself out of my drowsy stupor. Then I realized that I was still shivering – after a while, the body heat that Nick had provided had proved insufficient. I tried to control it, tried not to show weakness, but Nick looked up after filling the bike's tank and noticed.

"You're shivering."

"Astute of you to notice, Sherlock," I bit out bitchily, covering my ears with my palms to heat them up. Unfortunately, that movement raised my chest up as well and I saw Nick's otherworldly, eerie eyes flick to my cleavage and then back up to my face. I quickly lowered my arms, acting as though I hadn't noticed anything. A faint smirk crossed his perfectly sculpted face, and he shrugged off his leather jacket and slung it across my shoulders. I slipped my arms into the sleeves – the jacket was too big for me, my hands swallowed by the sleeves, but that was okay. That just meant my fingers would be warm too. The jacket still held the heat that had emanated from his body, making it doubly as cozy.

"Thank you." I said gratefully, my eyes looking into his uncertainly. He said nothing to acknowledge my thanks, but with a gentleness that surprised me, he reached out and pulled the jacket's collar up around my neck, his icy-cool fingers brushing the sensitive skin of my neck. Then, briskly, as though nothing had happened, he climbed onto his bike and revved the engine, as though he would leave without me. I quickly straddled the bike, linking my hands around his waist for the second time that night.

The second time we stopped was outside a club. Not a Night World club – this one was called Church, and was loud, dark. I could feel the music throbbing through my sleepy mind, the broken techno beats of _SexyBack_ mingling with Justin Timberlake's crooning digitalized voice. I glanced up at Nick, an unspoken accusation in my eyes.

"This is Night World Headquarters?" I asked skeptically, letting my doubt show on my face.

Nick frowned slowly. Wow, this guy could actually show emotion? Then the frown disappeared, replaced by his usual arctic attitude. "No. I'm here to hunt."

Oh no. Nuh-uh. Not on my watch. "You realize that hypnotizing some bimbo and biting her neck isn't really hunting, right?"

I winced. Don't heckle the bloodthirsty vampire, Bee; I scolded myself. His eyes had turned even more silvery then they already were – the bloodlust was setting in. He must not have fed since he arrived at the mansion. Now, his oxygen-starved cells would be transporting almost no oxygen to the brain, meaning that debilitating, agonizing pain would shortly be occurring. I sighed. He needed to feed, but I didn't want to either waste more time or allow an innocent girl to be fed on, possibly killed.

What? He might. I still didn't trust this guy fully.

I grabbed his hand, surprising both him and me, and led him down the dark alley next to the club.

"I'll be a donor this time," I told him, pulling up a sleeve of his jacket and holding my wrist out to him. Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Don't give me the whole I'm-a-hunter deal right now, okay? We don't have time for you to go in and work the crowd and find the perfect floozy. Just get it over with and we can go on our way. And, uh, don't drain me. I don't wish to die prematurely."

Nick's blank, handsome face appeared sardonic for a moment. "You don't want to die prematurely so you joined a cross-species war. That does tie in with the common sense and logic I've come to expect from you."

I shook my hair in impatience. "Just get it over with please." I waved my hand at him, exposing my wrist and the sensitive blue veins that ran underneath the thin skin.

What he did next both scared and fascinated me. He slowly closed his hand around my wrist, and I shivered inwardly at the smooth feel of his fingertips. Using my wrist as leverage, he gently, slowly, softly, pulled me closer to him and when I was standing flush against him, he placed his hands around my shoulders. He gazed into my eyes for a moment, and I was transfixed at the beauty I saw in them – silver, blue, grey, maybe even some green – a color so mutable yet so intense that I couldn't help but stare in reverence.

"Scared?" Nick asked in a smooth voice that was barely a whisper.

I shook my head vehemently, my mouth refusing to work.

I knew what he was going to do, but I couldn't bring myself to stop him – the feeling of his cool hands around the tops of my arms, coupled with the warmth of his breath against my cheek made my skin tingle pleasantly. His body was flush against mine, and the hard feel of his abdominal muscles against my own softer body made my breath quicken. He lowered his head painfully slowly, until his lips met with my neck. They were almost unbearably soft, and for a moment, thoughts of how they would feel against my own flitted through my mind. I shook the thought away, mentally giving myself a slap. A painfully long pause, and then I felt twin stings in my neck, like hot metal being laid against my throat. This was quickly replaced by warmth, inexorable bliss, a sensation of release. The feeling of giving one's self up to join with another.

And then, what I had been anticipating – the blood bond.

Perhaps it was a sneaky trick on my part to take a peek inside Nick's head and see what made him tick, but I can swear that it didn't start off like that. But when his mind opened to me, and mine to his, the temptation was too great. I could feel myself flowing into his mind, and I could feel him watching me but not knowing how to stop me. I was even vaguely aware of his lips still on my throat, his arms still supporting me.

And then… I was in his mind.

It was cold, like I'd expected. It seemed icy, slightly wild – snow was all around me and ahead, crystal panes of ice formed a sort of fortress. I pushed on through the calf-deep snow and howling winds, and reached the fortress.

I hesitated. I could feel Nick, now less calm and collected, his eyes following me as I infiltrated his most secret thoughts. Doing this was an invasion of privacy, was more intimate than the touch of a lover. But still, I pressed on. The need to understand him was almost an obsession at this point – how was he always so cool, so aloof and calm?

I pushed against the walls with my palms, imagining heat – when I did this; I somehow fell through and was in the fortress. My mouth fell open as I gazed around – as the outside was cold, frozen, chilling – a veritable blizzard full of harsh ripping winds and relentless, merciless hailstones; inside the fortress – which I presumed was a symbolic representation of Nick's deepest thoughts – was absolutely magnificent. If outside this ice palace was winter, inside was spring. It was pleasantly cool – not too hot, not freezing. A warm breeze floated by and I could hear the sounds of a stream somewhere in the distance. Inside the palace of Nick's mind was a beautiful garden – lush verdant grass carpeted the floor, winter sunlight filtered through the translucent ice that formed the roof of this garden. And the most stunning, the most breathtakingly beautiful decoration this place housed – the flowers that grew everywhere. They were all the same type of plant, and they added an air of mystery and danger to the place, while still creating an ethereal, heavenly atmosphere. The plants were gorgeous – shiny black berries and elliptical green leaves, topped with pale purple flowers shaped like bluebells or foxgloves – like a bell. These bell-shaped flowers gave off a heady scent, a hypnotic smell that transfixed me.

Suddenly, they began to fade – no! It was me who was fading, being pulled down a dark tunnel, down, deeper into the blackness when suddenly –

I was back in the alleyway, looking at Nick directly in the eyes. He raised an eyebrow. "Enjoy the trip?"

I moistened my dry lips, swallowing. "That was…that was –"

"My mind? Yes. Which you snooped around in, uninvited."

"I'm sorry – I couldn't…I was curious, and I –" I stuttered, scared into silence by his suddenly merciless eyes. I hung my head. "I was just curious about what, you know, made you tick. And…"

"You gave in to the temptation of easily obtaining that knowledge by going for a jaunt in my head?" His voice was angry, although his face seemed blank. Besides his eyes – they were livid. Intense, shining silver. "I warned you earlier, Belladonna – not to try and figure me out. I warned you that it would irritate me. Did you misunderstand me?"

Something reckless and suicidal took me over – that girl I'd seen in the mirror.

"About as much you listened to me telling you to call me _Bee_!"

Nick grabbed my arm in a grip like a vise. "Don't you ever even attempt to do that again! How dare you?" His mouth was a grim line, his haunting eyes furious, fixated.

"Let go of me! You of all people should know about the blood bond, you should know how hard it is to resist!"

Nick dropped my arm and stared at me, his handsome face unreadable, his eyes unfeeling and angry. It seemed like he was going to yell at me again, but then he turned and stalked back, exiting the alleyway and mounting his bike, releasing the kickstand. I darted after him and slipped on behind him, trying to keep a few inches of distance between us. I didn't feel like being too close to him after his angry outburst.

"Hold on to me. There's no backrest on this bike."

Oh, no shit. My hands glided about his waist, resting gently on his flat stomach. We traveled in silence for several moments, until the guilt swimming in me prevailed.

"Nick!" I shouted above the roar of the wind and the cycle's engines.

"What?"

"I'm sorry!" I couldn't believe I was apologizing – and to, of all people, a merciless vampire that had just used me as a donor and left without as much as a 'thank you'. I felt a sigh – or at least, the minutest tremble run through the body that I was leaning on.

"I expected you to do it."

That was all. Was it an admission? Forgiveness? Retribution? Why was this guy so goddamn hard to read!

I tested the waters a little – "What were those flowers?"

"Which flowers?" He was deliberately playing me, acting as though I was asking senseless questions.

"You know which flowers! The ones in that – I don't know, in that palace."

"The purple ones." It wasn't a question, but I replied in the affirmative. And although I couldn't _see_ his face, I knew, I knew for _sure_ that he was smirking, that he had that smug, self-satisfied, I-know-something-you-don't expression that he had worn when he had given me his jacket.

"You don't know?" was his cryptic reply as we sped off into the night. I glared at his back as the darkness swallowed us up, trying to burn a hole through that snug t-shirt he wore that displayed every sinuous, graceful bit of muscle on his back, his arms, his neck.

Our third and final stop was outside a large house. I quickly clambered off the motorcycle before Nick had even kicked down the kickstand and gazed up at the monstrosity. Oh, it wasn't all that large – a double-storey with a porch and large wooden door. It was nondescript – white-walled, gray-roofed, and completely average.

But it gave off a deadly, feral air. Perhaps I was being overdramatic and imagining things that weren't there, but God help me, I was sure that I could feel overpowering evil leaking from the windows, from the cracks in the walls, from underneath the door. I could feel an oily, sticky darkness saturate the surrounding area, curling dark tendrils around everything in its reach. I shot a questioning look at Nick, who nodded his head.

"This is the place. You feel it too, I assume." My mouth fell open in shock, but Nick didn't bother expanding on his statement.

Was this why he had left the Night World, because he too could feel the oppressive, clinging aura that was expelled from this house the same way humans expel carbon dioxide?

I shook myself and turned to Nick, awaiting my cue. Nick arched a perfect eyebrow.

"Stare blankly ahead and don't look in any other direction besides the one you're walking in. Almost as if you're sleepwalking. No emotions – don't smile, don't frown, and above all, don't look scared. Don't speak until we're alone."

I snorted derisively.

"I know – you're not scared of anything. Well…" he leaned close to me, his face, molded for arrogance, inches from mine. "You should be."

I rolled my eyes, trying to convey that I was not impressed. My heart began to beat faster as we started towards the house. Just outside the door, he turned and reminded me again. "No emotions. Give them nothing." Then he paused, and I thought I saw a flicker of what seemed like discomfort or unease in those marble-like orbs of his. "You'd better, uh, link arms with me as well."

I smirked inwardly, part of me pleased that I had managed to elicit such a reaction in him. He'd actually paused midway through a sentence – something that, I was beginning to realize, meant he was massively ill at ease. Concise, logical, and succinct – that's what Nick was.

I linked my left arm with his right one, pressing close to him, playing the part of a mesmerized bimbo puppet. Hmm. Mesmerized bimbo puppet. That would make an interesting movie.

Concentrate, I said to myself sternly. I took a few deep breaths, and like Jez had told me countless times, tried to open up my other senses. Touch, taste, smell, hearing – eyes would be pointed straight ahead this time, minimizing their usefulness. But it seemed to work – I could hear creaking sounds, low voices from inside the house, the chirping of crickets, and even softer than all of those, Nick's light breathing, the breaths of a hunter. My own heavier, deeper breaths. I could taste the pollution in the air, topped off with a heavy, sludgy tang – I presumed from the vibe the house gave off. Stronger still, I could feel – the clinging material of my top sleekly following my every curve, the too-short dark skirt hugging my thighs and stopping nearly four inches above my knees. The curious mixture of warmth and ice emanating from the solid, strong body next to mine. The lean, sinewy musculature of the arm that was clasping my own.

But most pervasive of all – I could hear. I could hear the ringing sounds of danger, of peril.

Nick rapped on the door three times, then paused, and knocked thrice more. The door swung open almost immediately, blinding me with the sudden yellow light, forcing me to squint as I tried to arrange my face into a suitably blank expression.

Nick took a step into the house, and another, and I was brought along with him. Staring blankly ahead, I saw a the interior of a house decorated like any other – perhaps with a more gothic, dark feel to it. Plush red furniture, the light that had blinded me momentarily was dim, from chandeliers and lamps. A voice came from my side but I resisted the urge to spin.

"Hey Nick, took you long enough to get back. Who's the chick?"

CHICK? Oh, the moment this charade was over I'd be ripping this voice a new one – chick! Excuse me, I'm a girl, not a barnyard animal!

"Just some girl. From Church." Nick replied, naming the human club we'd been outside earlier.

The voice chuckled, and a figure stepped into the light – a tall, hulking figure with coarse black hair. "Well, you have fun."

I think I'm going to be sick. This was wrong – not this exact situation, I knew that it was all for show. But the thought of Nick doing these things, using innocent girls – on some level I couldn't believe it. Maybe he was unfeeling and emotionless, but the fact he was helping Daybreak along proved that he had, fundamentally speaking, a good heart…right?

At the same time, the cynical thinks-too-much voice in my head yelled out at me – that he was a vampire, that Daybreak were just using him, that he had no alliances.

And yet, I couldn't bring myself to believe that voice. No matter how hard I tried. Which meant just one thing:

Oh shit, am I in _trouble_…

---

**I think my beta has shriveled up and died. Spookie, stop messing around! xP Drop out of school if you need to. Also, please review!**

Notes

_SexyBack_ – an unbelievably wonderful song (in my opinion) by Justin Timberlake, from the album _Futuresex/Lovesounds_. He is an arrogant prick, but that song rocks.

_The flowers_ – come up in a later chapter.

_Church_ – is actually the name of a club in Adelaide (and maybe other places, I dinnae) that my favorite cousin frequents. When she was telling me about it, I found it giggle-worthy because of its name – "I'm going to Church, see you later!" sounds so much more pious than "I'm going to club!" Yes, I have a skewed sense of humor.

_I'm a girl, not a barnyard animal!_ – taken from my dear friend Victoria T. And yes, I am beezy3.

ViX Always forgive your enemies - Nothing annoys them so much.:

And I asked him what he thought bout you...

beezy3 hey, how long till the music drowns you out? don't put words up in my mouth NEED: life as a house Oreo-Wan Kenobi:

**and?**

ViX Always forgive your enemies - Nothing annoys them so much.:

and he's like, "She's a really cool chick."

ViX Always forgive your enemies - Nothing annoys them so much.:

And I got mad at him cuz I'm like,

ViX Always forgive your enemies - Nothing annoys them so much.:

"She's not a CHICK. EWWWWW."

ViX Always forgive your enemies - Nothing annoys them so much.:

"WOMEN ARE NOT FARM ANIMALS."

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **I only own what you don't recognize.

**Dedication: **

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter Five

---

"So who was that guy?" I asked Nick, as I tossed my bag into a corner of the room and wandered around, poking my head into the adjoining doors and opening and closing drawers. Nick suddenly appeared at my elbow when I opened a drawer in the bedside cabinet and he slammed it shut.

"That was Lukos. He's someone you need to stay away from. He's a _real_ Night Person." His tone was sarcastic.

I shot Nick a surprised look. He'd started to show more and more emotion since we'd set off on this damn fool crusade. I wondered why. Ah well, not the time to psychoanalyze the vampire – the memory of him bawling me out in the alleyway was still present, not to mention the memory of me apologizing.

Yeah, what was up with _that_?!

"What do you mean, 'real' Night Person?"

Okay, so I lied. What can I say? Nick, as exasperating as he is, is one of those people who you _need_ to understand, if you know what I mean.

Nick just coolly looked me over. I bristled under his silver-gray gaze – for some reason, Nick possessed an inane talent for pissing me off; making me feel cheap, powerless, substandard, or useless.

"If you want to take a shower or change –" here he paused and that nearly-invisible smirk darted across his face for a split-second. "The bathroom's over there."

I glared at him for a moment. He didn't even flinch but just gazed back, his beautiful face impassive and his stance unreadable. Scowling, I grabbed my small canvas bag and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me just loud enough to convey my displeasure but not alert the entire household to the fact that a very angry, very aggressive human teenager had taken sanctuary in a bathroom and was very close to breaking her only ally's annoyingly perfect nose.

The bathroom was spacious, clean – I've always thought that bathrooms are the best places to snoop around in. Medicine cabinets and so on. But this one was depressingly bare – a half-tube of toothpaste, and that was all. I dumped my bag on the counter, glad that I had brought my small travel pack – shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and face wash were all there in tiny bottles. Hey, what can I say? I'm well-organized. If only Mrs. Gregory could see me now – now who's unprepared, bitch? Um, I mean…hi.

From what I had seen, the Night World set up their agents pretty well – Nick's room was pretty spacious, with an adjoining bathroom. They must have enlarged and added rooms once they procured the house, because for such a large place there didn't seem to be very many people.

I quickly showered and changed into something a little less stupid and a lot more comfortable – short jean shorts and an orange tank top. Something you could move in, you know? When I left the bathroom, Nick was nowhere to be found. My heart raced as my logical mind immediately jumped to the worst-possible conclusion – that this was a trap. And yet, once again, I couldn't convince myself that this was true. After all, I reasoned, if this was a trap I would've been attacked the moment I stepped through the door. I took a deep breath and then seized this opportunity to begin snooping around the bedroom itself. The small chest-of-drawers next to the bed was empty. The closet near the door was full of clothes, Nick's clothes. Mostly black, grey, or white – not a surprise at all.

All in all, the room was exceedingly bare – the closet, the chest-of-drawers, and the double bed made up all of the furniture.

Well, this was going to be fun, wasn't it?

My sardonic musings were interrupted when I heard the opening door quietly. I didn't bother to turn around – I could tell by the icy-warm feel to the room that it was Nick. Instead, I walked to the large window that took up an entire wall – the one furthest from the door – and drew the curtains slightly, squinting into the blackness. My eyes widened.

"Nick, what the hell is that?" I motioned for him to come over, and then turned in irritation when he didn't move. Nick raised an eyebrow. "What?"

I rolled my eyes. "The big hole in your backyard."

Nick stood and joined me at the window. "It's the back way out. The only way across is by that rope." he tapped at the glass lightly, pointing out to me a thin rope that I could vaguely make out. To get out, one would have to move hand-over-hand, like you do on monkey bars in jungle gyms.

"Why the hell is the back way out made like _that_?"

Nick shrugged. "It's harder for anyone to escape."

It made sense, in a sort of stupid way. Someone had dug this huge – and I mean _huge_ hole behind the house. It was more like a small valley. It was perhaps fifteen, twenty feet deep? And the only way across it was that thin rope slung across from one side to the other. This valley coupled with the huge gate and fencing that went across the front and sides of the house meant that there was pretty much only one way in – or out. I felt a shiver of premonition.

I turned to Nick and starting talking, anything to get my mind off the uneasy feeling I had about that ominous, man-made (or at least vampire-made) gorge.

"So what did you mean earlier with that whole 'real Night Person' crap?"

Nick gracefully sprawled onto the bed and looked up with languid eyes. "Hmm? Oh. Simply that you should try your best to stay out of his way – I realize that you're too stupid to realize when you're in a dangerous situation, but do try."

Deep breaths, Bee. You're going to need this lousy, arrogant, infuriating jerk for the next few days. Deep breaths. I began counting backwards from ten. Nick saw my lips moving and this only served to amuse him, as his lips twitched slightly – I assume that meant amusement. It's so hard to tell with a block of ice.

"It's not stupidity," I informed him coolly.

"No, I suppose not. It's just your ridiculous brand of pride and your obsession with control that brings out that absurd courage you have."

Excuse me? "Excuse me? You, of all people, are calling me obsessed with control? You, a vampire who hypnotizes girls just so he can have the upper hand?"

Nick closed his eyes, his arms crossed behind his head. "As I said earlier – the hypnosis isn't really necessary on my part."

"And as I said earlier, you are the most irritating and infuriating idiot I've ever met in my entire life. Wait, no, I didn't say that earlier – my bad." I bit out sarcastically.

"It's nice to see how our views of each other are so similar." The tone and inflections of his voice didn't even change; he didn't even skip a beat.

I don't know which I loathed more – how he never misses a thing and always has a cutting reply ready, or how he always seems to know what's going on before I do.

Oh, whatever. I threw my hands up and turned back to the window, squinting at the chasm. Of course, precisely seven seconds after I'd calmed down and wasn't feeling quite so murderous, the Ice Prince spoke.

"In this house, there are five Night People altogether – myself, Lukos and Tigris – both shifters, and Morel and Schaden, vampires. Ragnar has houses like these spread out over the entire country, and whenever he needs something done in a certain place, he'll travel to that place. That's why it's been so hard for Daybreak to locate him – he's always on the move. Lately, he's taken to traversing from house to house to leave the Crowley Crystal – he'll return here in a few days to move it to another place, so we have to work quickly."

I plopped down on the bed, on the side opposite to where he was laying. "Okay, so when can we get it? Is it heavily guarded?"

Nick raised an eyebrow – I'd come to realize that as a habit of his which _really_ pissed me off. To the max.

"It's guarded by two people at all times, but if you're planning a smash and grab mission, don't bother – it'll end up as four against two, and a human girl will be useless against a full-grown Night Person."

"Two?" I asked curiously. And this is the cool part – I swear to God, I saw Nick flush slightly – in embarrassment, anger, I don't know – but his face actually reddened. Would wonders never cease? I'd seen a smile; I'd seen anger, and now, a blush!

"Well, I presumed that you wouldn't be doing this alone," he said haughtily, running a hand through his white-blond hair.

"Okay, um…thanks. So, what do we do?"

I couldn't believe this. I, Belladonna Turner was asking a leech what to do? The world was officially going to end.

Wait, that's right. It _was_ going to end, unless aforementioned leech helped me.

"In a few days, Ragnar will be arriving to take the crystal and move it to another safe house. Every time he arrives, there's a briefing in his study, the room just down the hall. The crystal is kept in the attic. The night he arrives, when we are all in the study, you will sneak up to the attic and take the crystal. When you touch it, you'll set off the wards – fortunately, all we could set up were alarm wards as the Crowley Crystal doesn't allow powerful magic to be worked in its vicinity. So once you touch it, magical alarms will go off – run downstairs and get out, you'll have time as I'll distract everyone else. It's a definite that Ragnar will order us to split up and search to find you – I'll opt to search outside."

"Then we get on your bike and get the hell out of Dodge."

"You do have a flair for saying the strangest things."

"That's nice. Now, when exactly is Ragnar arriving?" I asked, already distracted by the possibilities and ideas forming in my head.

"It's undecided. Soon." Nick looked up suddenly. "Someone's coming."

I leapt from the bed and glanced around quickly, trying to figure out what to do. No Night Person is going to believe that Nick and his 'pawn' had been having a nice, civil conversation for the past hour. Nick rose to his feet quickly and without warning, pushed me gently against a wall, looming over me. My eyes widened in fear, and his frostlike orbs did the same, only in admonition.

It was at this moment that a loud knock came from the door and without waiting for an answer, it swung inwards. Lukos, the shifter I had met earlier, was standing in the doorway, smiling widely.

"Hey Nick!" he paused, and cleared his throat. "I can see you're having fun, but can you save it for a moment? I've got a message from the boss." Then he paused for a long moment. "Hang on – Nick, your…her eyes are tracking."

Oh _shit_! I hadn't realized – I hadn't kept my face blank! I'd been following Lukos with my eyes, I'd been alert.

I saw frustration flit across Nick's face – he hadn't been expecting Lukos to be so observant, I guess. Time for some quick thinking on my part.

"Like, hi!" I chirped, wriggling from Nick's grasp and bounding over to Lukos, pasting a wide, bright grin on my face. "I'm Donna!" I held out my hand to shake, giggling girlishly. "You must be…Luke? Nick told me all about ya!"

Lukos looked at my hand as though he'd never seen one before and cast a questioning look at Nick, who merely shrugged; an elegant, graceful motion. Lukos grabbed my hand in his own rough, callused one and shook. It was all I could do to keep the bright, vapid grin on my face when in reality all I wanted to do was grab the silver dagger in my bag and perforate this guy.

"So, like," I harped on, "it must be totally cool you know, all of y'all living together! It's like a frat house, only cooler. You know, I'm looking into joining a sorority myself, and I'm, like, _totally_ excited! It's going to be _so_ much fun, and –"

"Donna?" I turned and shot a warning smile at Nick who caught my eyes. "Don't you think you've said enough?"

I took the cue and pasted a blank expression on my face, as though Nick had just used his telepathic powers on me instead of giving a subtle warning.

Lukos shook his head. "Man, you seriously know how to pick them."

Nick leaned against the wall, the picture of ease. "I didn't exactly choose her for her scintillating intellect," he informed Lukos.

"No, I didn't think you would." Lukos agreed, chuckling. I tried to suppress a sneer. It wouldn't do for those shark-like eyes to catch me moving.

"Anyway, I just came in to tell you that Ragnar will be turning up tomorrow night at sunset, okay? Message just came through."

"Yes. Thank you." Nick answered, still not shifting from his position. Lukos looked puzzled for a moment, then, after shooting a creepy look my way, left.

I immediately snapped out of my 'hypnotized' state and crossed to Nick.

"He's turning up tomorrow! I'll steal the crystal tomorrow, and then we can return to Daybreak!" Nick didn't look at all fazed. "Nick, we'll find the fourth Wild Power! I think we actually may have a chance at winning this war, thanks to you! You –"

"Will walk out of your life forever." Nick stated firmly, eyes unreadable and fixed on mine.

Well. Screw you too, buddy. I mean, I know I'm not the friendliest girl around, and only mildly likeable, but still!

We stood there for a moment, each of us trying in vain to figure out what the other was thinking. I could see that he was trying to make the silence so uncomfortable that I would feel compelled to break it – he knew me far too well already. And me? Well…I was thinking about how at this very moment he didn't look like a murderous, bloodthirsty vampire, not with his hair falling into his eyes boyishly. He looked rakish, arrogantly handsome. His cold gray eyes were magnetic.

I inched closer without even realizing, so immersed was I in naming the color of those orbs – like moonlight when the moon is so round and full and perfect that there is no yellowish tinge to it, no reddish glow – but it was perfectly silver. Or maybe they were the color of stormy clouds, gray and moody – as close as Mother Nature could get to silver. And yet, I could glimpse hints of blue, a tinge of green. I was closer still, so close that I could make out every pale, silvery eyelash –

Nick straightened suddenly, clearing his throat, and my own eyes widened – I backed away speedily, dismissing my momentary fascination with his eyes and squashing down the cheated and disappointed emotions that were welling up in me.

Nick glanced at his watch. "It's nearly four AM. I'm going to turn in."

The moment he said those words, I could feel the sinking feeling in my stomach. Wait, forget sinking. More like plummeting, falling, crashing and burning as one tire rolls out of the flaming wreckage. As if on cue, the both of us turned and surveyed the one bed.

Nick was the first to move this time – he strode over to the bed and grabbed a pillow and passed over the thick comforter, picked up the thinner blanket.

"You can have the comforter – I know how easily you get cold," he murmured, which would have been sweet if it wasn't for that DAMNED SMIRK crossing his face. I'm telling you, every time I saw that knowing expression, it was all I could do to not knock him down, fall on top of him and –

Whoa, okay, that image ended up in a different place from where I meant it to go. I shook my head. I was obviously suffering from Stockholm syndrome – where you feel as though you have bonded with your kidnapper. Not that he'd kidnapped me, strictly speaking, but…

Anyway. Come to think of it, that long ride had _totally_ tired me out as well – not to mention the heavy-duty acting I had to do. Maybe it doesn't seem like much, but I had to act like a bimbo. ME. BIMBO. You see how those two words don't fit?

I slowly sank onto the bed, doing the breathing exercises that Jez had taught me. Yes, I may have _seemed _calm, but come on! I was deep in the heart of enemy territory, my only ally was a vampire as perfect as an ice statue but of dubious nature, and I had one day – ONE DAY to perfect Nick's hastily thought up plan.

Well, okay, the plan was pretty much foolproof, but you never know.

I sighed and bounced up and down on the bed a couple of times. Truth be told, I felt a little bad – the bed was huge, had I been in this situation with any of the Daybreakers, male or female, there would've been no qualms about sharing a bed.

DAMNIT I was feeling GUILTY?! Okay, first fear, then an apology, and now GUILT? The desire to treat the Ice Prince like a normal human – like a friend?!

I had to be nuts.

Ah well. If you're going to be crazy, do it right. I opened my mouth to tell Nick that I didn't mind us sharing a bed, but then I caught sight of him and was frozen to the spot. He was taking off his shirt. The shirt that had allowed me to make out every sinew in his back, the shirt that looked as though it was painted on. Once that was off, he unbuttoned and yanked off his jeans.

OHHH THIS WAS NOT GOOD. I tried my best to snap back to reality and not be quite so enthralled with the way his skin glowed above and below his black boxer-briefs – geez, was everything this guy owned black? I had to swallow several times to try and push down the rising urge to cross over to him and find out if his body was truly as hard as it looked, whether his skin was as perfect and unblemished as it appeared to be. If before my pulse had raced upon feeling his well-muscled body against mine, now it was a hundred times worse – or better, depending how you saw it – because I could see the smooth and flawless skin of his torso, the little trail of hair that ran down his flat stomach.

I must've made some sort of noise then, because he looked up at me, his eyes quizzical. I hastily tried to reform my face into a neutral expression – and I can safely say that I failed miserably. How do I know? Well, that irritating smirk of his appeared on his perfect lips again.

"I, um…" I tried to make my mouth and tongue work, but for some reason, the connection between my brain and every other part of my body chose that precise moment to fail. The smirk appeared again momentarily, and then the spell was broken as he flopped onto the floor, his hands behind his head, propping it up.

I shook my head violently – now that I wasn't confronted with his perfectly-muscled body directly in my line of sight, thoughts seemed a little clearer.

"I just wanted to say that it's kinda stupid for you to be sleeping on the floor – I mean, the bed is pretty big…" I trailed off miserably. WHAT WAS I DOING? Did I really want that distracting, absolutely perfect specimen of a male body next to mine all night?

Well, _yeah_, obviously. What red-blooded female wouldn't? But I couldn't believe I was acting this ridiculous over a _vampire_ for crying out loud! Maybe he wasn't strictly the _enemy_, but he wasn't exactly a Daybreaker! Besides. He wasn't that great-looking. I mean, he's gorgeous – but he's _right_ on that fine line between handsome and deadly dangerous, if you know what I mean.

Nick raised an eyebrow. "I'm fine over here."

"If you're sure…" I said, feeling relief and disappointment wash over me in equal measures.

Nick turned onto his side, away from me. I stared at the back of his head for a moment, wishing I could run my hands through that silver-blond hair – it looked so soft from where I was.

"Belladonna, would you mind not staring at me?" came Nick's cool voice, muffled slightly by the fact he wasn't facing me.

Curses! I was so off-guard by his apparent ESP that I nearly didn't notice he'd called me Belladonna. Ah well, I wasn't exactly shocked by now – it didn't sound too bad coming from him, really. From anyone else, it sounded stupid, pretentious, and affected. It inspired two ideas – either a scary Goth chick with innumerable piercings, or a well-starched little Victorian schoolgirl.

But when Nick said it, I had to admit it didn't like either of those stereotypes. It sounded like the steady fall of rain, felt like the wind through bare trees and over still water.

"I was just thinking that you looked really uncomfortable," I said smoothly, pleased with my own quick thinking. "Not that I really care about you personally, but it wouldn't do for my escape driver to be so stiff he can hardly move tomorrow."

Of course, even as I spoke this, I knew it was absolute bullshit. I knew that, as a vampire, he wouldn't feel a damn thing. But it sounded plausible, and that was the important thing.

Nick sat up and fixed me with those unearthly beautiful eyes. I still hadn't been able to find the perfect words to describe them – maybe they weren't really the stormy gray of rain clouds. Maybe they were more…I don't know. The color of moonbeams, with an edge like that of a steel knife – breathtaking, yet with a trace of wintry bitterness, of ruthlessness.

Nick shrugged slightly, a graceful, smooth moment of his shoulders. Standing, he grabbed his pillow and I hastily turned away, lying down and facing the wall so that there was no chance of my seeing his bare torso.

"And, um, turn off the lights while you're up," I ordered, squeezing my eyes tightly shut.

I heard the faint click of a light switch, and deemed it safe to reopen my eyes. I could see only vague outlines and shapes, thanks to the pearlescent moonlight filtering through the crack in the curtains. I turned my head slightly and caught sight of Nick – only his eyes and hair visible in the dimness – the former glowing silver and the latter shining like a stray moonbeam.

In fact, that described Nick well; I realized as he lay down and closed his eyes, seemingly dropping off to sleep immediately. His breaths didn't get heavier, but his breathing rhythm did slow almost imperceptibly.

He was like a moonbeam – capricious, mysterious, serene yet tempestuous, the epitome of restrained wildness. What was that song lyric, I tried to remember…_how do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?_ That was him alright – impossible to pin down to anything yet still there, anticipating everything but precipitating nothing. I could glimpse part of his abdominal muscles where the moonlight laid across him – his skin moved slightly, so slightly, as he breathed – his body reminded me of silk wrapped around steel. I clenched my hands, resisting the urge to reach out and touch him, to see if he really was as flawless as he looked.

It was a pity, really, that in reality he was full of flaws – he was passionless, cold, had probably done so many things that Daybreak wouldn't approve of…

And yet, wasn't him helping Daybreak a redemption, of sorts?

He was…_shit_, why couldn't I think of anything? He was…well, he had that annoying smirk – he was arrogant, and exasperating and _INFURIATING…_although that could all be dismissed as my point of view.

I turned over to face the ceiling, exhausted. Trying to pinpoint one of Nick's flaws that would be recognized by everyone was more tiring then everything else that had happened that night. I yawned widely, surrendering to the darkness that was suffusing my vision.

---

**Whee. We're getting nowhere, and fast – and that's just the best. Thanks to all my lovely reviewers – you make me all squeeful. Ah, the wonderfulness of pointless fluff. This fic, I mean, not the reviews. FLUFF IS LOVE.**

Notes

_Tigris_ – means 'tiger', I _think_.

_Morel_ – a type of fungus. Hey, it's qualifies as lamia name!

_Schaden_ – German for 'harm'.

_Lukos_ – Greek for 'wolf'.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **Whee. It isn't mine. But you may have guessed that.

**Dedication: **Two of 'em – firstly, to MLTR! We'll always be together. And secondly, Madelin W, I'm afraid this one goes to you.

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter Six

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I woke up the next morning to the raucous, painful sounds of some stupid dimwitted little bird twittering inanely outside the window.

Bloody bird. I mumbled something to myself, trying to snuggle deeper into the safe comfort of sleep, tucking myself more firmly against the cool pillow at my side. In time, the chirping stopped and I felt myself dropping off once more, and I sighed contentedly as I felt strong arms tighten around me and –

Wait. What?

Repeat that last part. Pause, rewind, and play.

I cautiously opened one eye, and then the other. Wait, where the fu – oh. Right. Night World, Crowley Crystal, undercover as a pawn, and as they said in the _King and I_ – etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Wait. That didn't explain the arms I felt around me, or the hard, muscular torso my own arm was draped across. I warily lifted my head and immediately wished I hadn't. That, and prayed to whatever deities who may exist that the vampire who had shared my bed would _not_ wake up to find us in this _extremely_ compromising position.

I knew we had gone to sleep side-by-side, as innocently as it was possible considering that Nick had a body made for sin –

Um, I meant that in the whole bloodsucking soulless vampire way. Just so we're clear.

And now, we'd ended up tangled with each other as though we'd just – yeah, okay, much too strong a visual to settle on oneself this early. No use priming myself for a cold shower when I had to figure out how to get out of bed first.

Nick's arms were around me, holding me close to him, and as exciting as that sensation was, it wouldn't do for him to wake up and find us this way.

Don't ask me why not, it just didn't seem like a good idea.

In turn, I had one arm across Nick's chest, my hand splayed out on his flat stomach. My head was leaned against his shoulder, and my other arm was under me.

Okay. I could do this. I slowly raised my head, trying not to breathe or move too suddenly – Nick was lamia, and the slightest movement could wake him up. Equally slowly, I dragged my hand across his abdominal muscles, slowly moving it off. My heart nearly stopped when Nick moaned – what? Oh my. I blushed when I realized that the caressing sensation of my moving hand must've tickled him in his sleep – funny, I never thought he'd be ticklish. Just to be on the safe side, I didn't move for a few minutes, willing him to sink deeper into slumber. He actually looked quite innocent in sleep – more handsome than dangerous. Usually he had one foot in each area – a strange mix of deadliness and physical perfection. When asleep, that dangerous air was muted. Nick's pale blond hair was as beautiful in sunlight as it was when drenched in moonlight. His ephemeral eyelashes were light-looking, yet so long that they gave the illusion of resting on his cheeks. It was nice being able to stare at him without some sort of biting, icy comment directed my way, or having to meet his own glacial eyes. But then I remembered last night, where he had sensed me gazing at him; and I quickly snapped out of it.

Once my arm was off his stomach, I tried to wriggle out of his arms without actually moving – not an easy feat. Not even slightly accomplishable. Failing that, I rolled to the opposite side of the bed, breaking out of his arms gently. Once free, I quickly got to my feet – DAMN the floor was cold! – grabbed my bag and darted into the bathroom.

It only struck me when I was brushing my teeth how strange it felt now, how chilly and, well, empty things felt. It wasn't a mental sensation – it was physical. My arms actually ached now that Nick wasn't in them –

Whoa, where was this going? Damned if it wasn't 'mental' – _I_ was going freaking mental. I had a job to do, and I wasn't going to screw it up – the fate of the world was in the balance.

One (cold) shower later, I stepped out of the bathroom in clothes I had spent several minutes choosing – quite a feat for someone who only wears jeans. I had on a pair of dark jeans that hugged me tightly but also allowed me to move, and a sleeveless tight gray top. It'd be bit of a stretch to call it 'trashy', but I couldn't risk dressing like a floozy – uh, pawn, tonight – Ragnar would be arriving at sunset. It was after noon already, I had slept for about ten or eleven hours. In fact…I risked a peek at the bed – it was empty, Nick was nowhere to be seen.

"Took you a while." A wintry voice came from my left, and I spun to see Nick leaning against the wall next to the bathroom door. Still clad in only those black boxer-briefs. I hastily averted my eyes.

"We overslept," I muttered.

That bloody eyebrow bloody rose. Bloody AGAIN. "No, we didn't. _You _did."

My mouth fell open in disbelief. "Excuse me? You got up later than I did!"

"Yes, but that's when I planned to wake up. You overslept. I woke up at the precise time I wanted to."

Okay, too much. Too much infuriating Nick too early – okay, not early. It was the afternoon, for God's sake. Too much infuriating Nick, full stop.

"Ragnar will be here soon, I'm assuming," I said, glancing out the window. "The sun's still pretty high in the sky, but sunset can't be too far away."

"Two more hours," Nick said, before stepping into the bathroom and closing the door.

Wonderful. Two more hours cooped up in this room.

About thirty minutes later when Nick emerged from the bathroom, I was so bored and desperate for someone to talk to that I would have happily nailed him down and duct-taped his mouth shut just so he would listen to me. Note that I said talk _to_ and not talk _with_. Mwahaha.

"Circle Daybreak and the inner circle are probably going nuts right about now," I observed, still staring out the window and willing the sun to go down. "They always assume the worst when left to their own conclusions."

Unsurprisingly, there was no answer. I turned and said a little irritably, "You know, would it kill you to engage in normal conversation?"

Nick turned towards me and my eyes widened slightly – for once, he wasn't wearing black. Or at least, all black. He had on a white button-down shirt and black jeans – although now I knew why he favored black. While black contrasted beautifully with his stunning eyes and hair, white complimented them so much that he was almost blinding to look at.

"Would it kill you to not chatter inanely for just a few minutes?" was the glacial reply, as he continued drying his hair with a towel.

I scowled. "Listen, Nick, I've been cooped up in this room for _way_ too long – I'm going stir-crazy. I'm suffering from cabin fever. Now, it's either you talk to me – and I'm aware that I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel here – or I swear to God, I will kill myself and then return and haunt you. Forever."

A corner of Nick's mouth quirked, and in a tone he must have used to pacify rabid shifters, he said, "Please, don't take the trouble of killing yourself. I'd be glad to do it for you."

I smiled, despite myself. Well, it was sort of a joke, wasn't it? It'd be funny if it wasn't from him. "Does that mean you're talking?"

Nick inclined his head gracefully. "No. You're talking; I'm trying to tune it out but contributing from time to time."

"I'll take what I can get." Hah. That was practically an invitation to bombard him with questions, wasn't it?

Okay, maybe not. But I was taking it as such.

"So, it's just Nick? No last name that goes with that?"

Nick sank more comfortably onto the bed, his back leaning against the headboard. I, remembering this morning, did not move from my perch on the chest-of-drawers on the opposite side of the bed.

"There is a last name. But it's not exceedingly important."

"What if it's important to me?"

"Then I would say that your priorities need revamping," Nick said, shooting me an intense look.

"I think my priorities are just fine, thanks, and I was merely curious. Okay, so no last name. Huh. What about family?"

"What about it?" Nick said lazily, his eyes half-closed.

"Well, do you have any?"

"Obviously. Where or who they are, isn't important either."

"Is there anything that's important to you?!" I asked, frustrated once more. Man, maybe even not-talking was less damaging to my delicate psyche than this was. Okay, what delicate psyche? More like hair-trigger temper.

"Myself."

Ah, the typical lamia answer. Still, I wasn't done.

"Yourself? What, no soulmate?" My tone when I said that word was dripping with sarcasm and contempt.

Nick sat up at this. "You don't believe in the soulmate principle?"

I scoffed. "Of course I do – all my friends have found theirs. And it's hard to not believe it when you've seen it happening. But I just don't believe that it's all it's cracked up to be."

"And why is that?"

"I don't know – it just seems painful. Like, my friend Gill – she's a lost witch, a Harman – she describes it as having part of your soul walk around outside of your body. I don't know, but I think I'd prefer having a whole soul."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "But what about all the supposed happiness that comes with it?"

I made a vague sound of disdain. "Nick, no-one can make you happy. You've got to do that yourself."

At this, Nick settled back into the pillows, with that damned insufferable smirk on his face. "I thought you'd say that."

"Oh?" I asked, curious despite myself.

"Yes. As I mentioned earlier – your ridiculous brand of pride and your obsession with control. It wouldn't allow you to accept the positive aspects of a soulmate."

"You're saying that I'm too proud and too much of a control-freak to have a soulmate?"

"Precisely."

Okay, what was _with_ that supercilious tone?

"Okay, Dr. Crane – what about you? If you're so philosophical when it comes to soulmates, who's yours? Have you found her…or him?"

At his venomous look, I chuckled a little. "Hey, let's be open-minded. It could happen."

"I'm so sure. And no, I haven't found her. And I don't intend to look."

"Uh-huh…and why is that? Are you too proud and dictatorial to have one as well?"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Belladonna, all I meant is that you aren't prepared for the complete loss of control being in love brings you."

My pulse quickened at his words, at the even tone – I had the same feeling of premonition I'd had last night at the window.

"And you _are_ prepared? How exactly do you know so much about being in love, anyway?"

"I didn't say I was prepared, I merely said you weren't."

"You haven't answered my question."

"No. I haven't." With those final words, he leant back and closed his eyes. I stared at him for a moment, feeling more than prepared to poke his penetrating eyeballs out of their sockets, or rip that self-assured tongue out of his head.

DAMN HIM!

My murderous, mutilating thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Nick sitting up suddenly. "Someone's coming."

Ugh. Not the whole ditzy girl routine again! I swear, I was going to _murder_ Lukos when – I caught Nick giving me the raised-eyebrow look. I scowled. "I'll hide in the bathroom." I muttered viciously, spinning and edging into the bathroom, quietly closing and locking the door behind me. Not a moment too soon – I heard the door open and a guttural voice speak. I pressed my ear against the door.

"Nick, the bats are here. Ragnar will arrive within the hour. Are you going to come down and wait with us, or stay up here?"

The cool answer came immediately. "I think I'll stay up here, Morel. Who's on the crystal now?"

A snort. "Tigris and Schaden, arguing as usual."

"Ah. Well, yes. I'll stay up here until he arrives. Then you can just send Schaden up with a message."

"Indeed. Nick, you've been reclusive – more so than normal. Is something wrong?"

I almost giggled. Friendliness from a Night World shifter? Oh yeah, sure. Really plausible. This guy was fishing for something, and I prayed that Nick was quick enough to see that.

"Nothing's wrong."

Oh, brilliant answer. I rolled my eyes. As though reading my thoughts, Nick continued.

"And if anything were, I wouldn't choose you as my confidante."

I raised a hand to smother another giggle, and as I did so, accidentally knocked the half-empty tube of toothpaste from its perch on the side of the sink to the floor. It made a barely audible sound, thank God –

"Who is here?" the deep, rumbling voice sounded again. I heard heavy footsteps making their way towards the bathroom door and I backed up.

"No-one important. Vermin I picked up from Church." Nick's voice, smooth yet hasty, rang out.

"Ah…is she the one Lukos mentioned? The one who sounds like a squirrel?"

Excuse me?

"I beg your pardon?" Nick's voice echoed my thoughts. "A squirrel?"

"Yes. Chattering on and on."

"That would be the one," I could sense amusement in Nick's tone – the jerk knew I could hear him!

"She must be something special for her to be around…and alive…this long, eh? Perhaps when you're done, you'll pass her on."

Oh my God…that…I felt sick. It's one thing to hear about what the enemy was capable of doing; it was another to actually hear it firsthand.

"Perhaps not." the short, dangerous reply came.

"No matter." The loud, steady footsteps faded away, and I cautiously poked my head out. Nick looked up from glaring daggers at the door. "He's gone."

"Good." After that little exchange, I was spoiling for a fight – verbal or physical, it didn't matter. "What the hell did he mean by that 'pass her on' comment? Is that what you do to human girls you pick up? That's freaking sick. Just when I started thinking you were decent underneath it all, you manage to go and change my mind, you twisted piece of -"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Please stop the dramatics, Belladonna."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

The moment the words had left my lips, Nick hissed and grabbed me by the shoulders, pushing me against the wall. "Quiet. They can hear you. Shut up, unless you want this entire mission to fail because of your terrible temper. I will call you Belladonna and if you have a problem with that, you will deal with it."

Deal with it? Damn straight! I shoved Nick away roughly and glared, pulling my fist back and letting go. He caught it in his left hand and used it to pull me closer. He hissed at me again, a vicious, feral sound. "Belladonna, relax. Don't make me use my telepathy – you're no good to me hypnotized. Calm down. Just calm down."

I took a few deep breaths and let my body go slack. I slammed my head against the wall a few times out of frustration, trying to knock the flurry of thoughts out of it. When I did that, Nick quickly pulled me away from the wall and, lifting me slightly, plopped me down on the bed. I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I don't know what – I'm sorry."

Nick sat down beside me. "This is ridiculous. Daybreak shouldn't have sent someone so young."

My head shot up again, and I fixed Nick with a beady stare. "I beg your pardon?"

He rolled his eyes. "Nothing against you personally – but you're only seventeen. You shouldn't be involved in some covert war. You shouldn't know the Night World exists. You should be at school, partying, studying."

Was this compassion from a vampire? I couldn't believe my ears.

"And how old are you," I heard my voice say in a tone that was meant to be sarcastic, but feeble, even to my ears. "To know so much?"

"I'm eighteen, Belladonna, but I'm from the Night World. It's kill or be killed where I grew up, and you age faster when that's what you live by."

I shuddered. "Sounds like a crappy way to grow up."

"It is." Nick fixed me with a mesmerizing stare, his eyes the color of moonbeams and starshine. "And just so we may clarify a point – Morel is a bastard. I've never had a pawn before."

I must've looked skeptical because Nick leaned closer, and said it more insistently. "Never."

And you know what? As stupid as it sounded, I believed him. Even though I had no reason to, I did. Because I knew he was telling the truth.

"Nick, I…" I don't know what I wanted to say. I wanted to apologize again. I wanted to just run out of this house, this place, and forget the war. And most of all, I just wanted to cry. I wanted to hug Nick tightly and cry my eyes and heart out.

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I wasn't a warrior. I wasn't a Night Person. I was just a normal teenager who'd gotten in over her head, who'd found herself too deep in something to work her way out and had decided to fight something much larger than she was. And for what? To save the world? I was nothing. What could I contribute? I had no talents, only failings. I wasn't invulnerable, I didn't have magical powers at my fingertips – I had nothing.

Nick stood suddenly, and a rush of cold air hit my side where he had been sitting. "Ragnar is here. Don't forget – the stairs to the attic are to the left, at the very end of the hallway. The study where the meeting will be held is to the right. Give us about ten minutes for everyone to collect in the study and then the coast should be clear." He strode to the door and paused, his hand on the doorknob. "Remember, Belladonna, talents make us special. Flaws make us people."

My head jerked up and I stared at Nick, my eyes wide. Had I spoken aloud? No, I knew I hadn't – but…how did he?

That smirk crossed his lips once more, but for once it didn't irk me as much as usual. "Be careful."

With that, he slipped out and shut the door behind him.

I stood. No time to think about the intricacies of the vampire mind now. It was show time. I groaned slightly.

Mr. Wizard, get me out of here!

---

**Asdaskdaskjd. This fic isn't doing well at all. If you've been lurking, please review and give me some feedback!**

Notes

_The King and I_ – a very cute musical from Rodgers and Hammerstein. Gotta love those wacky dudes. It was my school production wayyy back in…2003? I'm not too sure. I'll check with Spookie. But, yes. I couldn't resist shoving it in.

_Dr. Crane _– in case you are like my beta and shun Star World (or your equivalent), I am here to explain – Dr. Crane is Frasier Crane, a radio psychologist.

_Mr. Wizard, get me out of here!_ – That's (sort of) a line from _The Matrix_, where Neo is calling Dozer (or Tank, not sure) to extract him from the matrix. It's a reference to the 1960's cartoon _Tooter Turtle_, where in every episode, Tooter (a turtle) would ask his friend Mr. Wizard (a lizard) to make him something he wasn't (e.g. an astronaut or scientist). But then Tooter would do something stupid and get himself into trouble, and call out to Mr. Wizard for help. Mr. Wizard would chant 'drizzle drazzle druzzle drome, time for this one to come home'. The moral of this cartoon was: be happy with who you are.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **I confess. It belongs to someone else.

**Dedication: **To me! To me! To you, you, you, you, and you!

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter Seven

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I pressed my ear to the door, straining to listen. I could just barely make out the sounds of low, male voices rumbling. Three…four, wait – five voices. Who was missing? I strained to hear – I could hear the harsh, guttural rasping of Morel's voice, the hyper, fast-paced voice of Lukos, and of course, above it all, the frosty, ice-touched sound of Nick. Strangely enough, it calmed me down – my heart rate slowed and my breathing rate returned to normal.

Then, I heard a sixth voice – deep, commanding, and cruel. That had to be Ragnar. More mumbling, and then the sound of a door being shut firmly.

Was it safe? I slowly counted to a hundred, and when I heard nothing, carefully, quietly, edged the door open. I peeked carefully out into the hallway, first right, then left. Nothing. The hallway was dark – from my vantage point, I could make out a glow from under the study door – a light was turned on inside. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out into the dark hallway and glanced around once more.

Calm, Bee, calm. You can do this. It's a simple get in and get out.

I cautiously sidled my way to the end of the hallway and I saw the stairs – a simple flight with a door at the top. I knew from previous experience that steps – especially the middles – had a tendency to creak loudly when you stepped on them and alert everyone in the vicinity that you were up to something clandestine. Fortunately, I had learned what to do. Ideally, one should swing over the banister, cling onto it, and stand on the edges of the steps. Once having reached the top, it would be a simple matter to swing back over the banister and enter. However, this particular flight of stairs had no railing, so I had to settle for hugging the wall and inching my way up, taking alternate steps – step on one, miss the other, step on the next, miss the one after that – to minimize the chances of treading on a creaking stair.

It was slow and nerve-wracking work, but I finally made my way up the staircase, one hand against the smooth wall, the other clinging onto the doorknob. Before I turned it, I went over the plan one more time –

Once I touched the crystal, alarms would go off. I had to dart from here to the other flight of stairs and dash down, hide in the bushes, and wait for Nick. The only insurance I had that I wouldn't get caught between here and there was Nick's casual statement that he would "distract everyone else". Funny how I felt completely content with that. I shook my head. Somehow along the way, Nick and I had, well, bonded. Or at least, I felt I understood him more than I used to.

He was still an arrogant, annoying, infuriating prick though.

With that final thought ringing through my mind, I twisted the doorknob and stepped in, leaving the door open behind me for a quick exit. I quickly cast a cursory look around the room – the first thing that caught my sight was a large oak pedestal, about four feet high, with a small gem resting atop it. My breath caught in my throat – this was what we'd been searching for, the solution to Daybreak's dilemma. I crossed over to it and gazed down. It was pretty boring for a magical artifact of immense power – a deep yellow, the exact shade of primrose hearts; and shaped like a small uncut diamond, just large enough to fit comfortably into my palm. It didn't shine or glisten like a normal crystal would – it just sat there. I allowed myself to feel a fraction of the joy and triumph welling up inside of me, and I saved the rest for later – time to celebrate when you're in one of Daybreak's safe houses, I told myself sternly.

With that sentiment, I stretched my hand out over the gem; and with one swoop, snatched it and spun, ready for the alarms – but my heart sank at the sight before me. A tall, imposing vampire with dirty blond hair and piercing green eyes stood before me, blocking the doorway. At his side stood the wiry Lukos, a shark-like grin across his face.

"I knew you weren't a mesmerized human. Nick's never brought a pawn before – why should you be the exception?" Lukos panted. The question didn't seem to need an answer, and there was definitely no way to explain my way out of this situation. My hand inched towards the bag at my hip, inched towards the weapons I had brought –

"Don't move. You even so much as twitch and I'll give the order for your friend to have his head ripped clean off his shoulders!" Ragnar spoke for the first time, his voice deep and cold and sharp, like a cleaver cutting straight through bone. I looked wildly around – my friend? Ragnar stepped slightly aside and two figures – no, three, came through the doorway. I gasped – Morel and another vampire – Schaden – were roughly restraining a struggling Nick, who was held in between them. He met my eyes for a moment, and straightened, his head thrown back like a prince. It was as though an invisible beam of understanding shot through us, from eye to eye, and I knew what to do. I dropped the crystal and positioned my foot directly over it.

"Let him go. Let him go or I smash this crystal and screw up your sick agenda." I threatened, trying to sound determined and imposing.

Ragnar laughed, but I saw uncertainty stain his eyes. "You wouldn't. That stone under your foot is Daybreak's salvation."

"Listen, asshole, I don't have time for banter. That guy over there has betrayed you for Daybreak, and that means he's officially – whether he wants to be or not – on our side. And I am completely willing to trash this rock –" I lowered my foot onto it slightly, "to save his life. So stand down."

Ragnar sighed dramatically. "Poor, poor vermin. So desperate. So noble." His eyes glowed silver. "It'll be almost too easy to kill you."

Before I could lower my foot and carry out my threat, he'd launched himself at me, pinning me to the ground with a hand on my throat. He smiled viciously. "Don't ever threaten those more powerful than you." With that, he lowered his mouth to my neck, his canines elongating. I struggled more furiously, knowing what would come next – but I hadn't counted on Nick. Over Ragnar's shoulder, I could vaguely make out a silver tornado, moving in a blur and throwing off the figures hanging onto it – first one, then the other. Nick dove at Ragnar and pulled him away, just as his teeth grazed my neck. I quickly scrambled to my feet, touching my neck. My fingers came away bloodstained.

No time for tactical thinking. I joined the fray, whipping out a double-bladed dagger – one edge wood, the other silver. Rashel had given it to me for my seventeenth birthday.

I wildly slashed at Schaden – a short, thin vampire with deadly eyes the color of redwood trees. He yanked at my arm, trying to pull the knife out of my hand – I refused to let go, resulting in a large gash from the silver end stretching across my palm. I gasped at the pain, stumbling backwards. Out of nowhere, Nick appeared, holding Schaden's arms behind his back and giving me an intense look. Catching on, I quickly staked Schaden through the heart, wincing as I felt muscle, tendon, and bone give way.

"The crystal!" Nick hissed, before Morel grabbed him from behind, whirling him around. Nick let loose with a vicious hook that tossed him backwards, hitting the wall and leaving a large hole in the plaster as he sank to the floor. Unfortunately, Morel was down but not out, as he quickly scrambled to his feet and launched himself at Nick's throat.

No time! No time to watch – I swallowed back the feelings of terror, of wanting to help Nick – he could handle himself. I ran to the foot of the pedestal, where I had dropped the crystal, and froze. Ragnar was standing nonchalantly by the crystal, an elbow resting on the plinth and propping his chin up. A thoughtful expression was across his face. I edged warily towards him, switching my blade from my wounded hand to my weaker left one – while my right would be more accurate, the blood was flowing at such a pace that my grasp had become slippery.

Behind me, Morel, Lukos, and Nick fought in a flurry of fists, fangs, and fur – Lukos had shifted to wolf. I saw from the corner of my eye, Nick pinning down Morel with a foot on his stomach and yanking on his arm – there was a sickening _pop_ and Morel screamed in pain.

I quickly snapped back to what was before me – keeping an alert eye on Ragnar, I edged closer, not wanting to go within grabbing distance but having to – the crystal was practically on his foot. Grab, slash, and run, I told myself, repeating the words over and over like a mantra. Grab, slash, and run.

I dove for the crystal, snatching it in my wounded hand, and drove the wooden blade through Ragnar's foot, piercing the shoe leather and driving it in just as it was coming down on my back in a kick that – had it connected – would have splintered my spine. Ragnar hissed in pain, drew his foot back up, and I rolled away, springing to my feet.

Too close! I had misjudged the distance! I felt for my knife, but it was gone – I caught a glimpse of it lying several feet away. Ragnar seized my wrist, applying pressure till the pain was so bad I had to let go of the crystal. It dropped to my feet, made slick by the blood from my palm. I looked Ragnar straight in the eye, and knew then, that this was it.

Then, suddenly, miraculously, as the Crowley Crystal fell, it began to shine with a marvelously bright yellow light, as though a miniature sun was blossoming right there in the attic. Ragnar gasped and backed away slightly. No time to think! I squinted my eyes and saw my chance – while the brightness had shocked me, it had completely blinded Ragnar, whose eyes were adapted for night hunting. I snatched the crystal and shoved it into my pocket, shooting a vicious kick Ragnar's way for good measure, right between the legs. He groaned and doubled over – hey, I may not be lamia, but I pack a pretty decent punch. Or kick, as it were. I spun and saw that Nick had dispatched both Morel and Lukos and was dusting off his hands. His canines had elongated and his eyes shone silver; pure, bright silver. His face was unreal, otherworldly.

Nick saw me approach, and gave a curt nod. Then he caught sight of the blood staining my hands, my clothes, and he strode over, grabbing my hands in his and turning them over, searching for the wound. I felt a little awkward, watching the uncannily beautiful vampire countenance fade into the face I was more familiar with. Nick looked up at me, holding my injured hand and stroking his fingers gently over the cut, as light as a whisper. For the second time, I could feel myself flowing towards him, able to make out every hue of color in his eyes, the tiny lines in his soft-looking lips –

"Nick!" I yanked on his arms, pulling him to the side as a large black wolf lunged, missed, and crashed into the pedestal, smashing it into little wooden fragments. Nick instantly reacted, his face changing. He pushed me behind him, and was immediately attacked by Lukos, who ripped into Nick's torso with his large, vicious jaws.

What could I do? I frantically searched for my knife, finally spying it barely a foot from where Nick and Lukos were trading punches – I snatched it up and threw it, end-over-end, praying as it flew through the air.

My aim was true. It buried itself, silver side, into the wolf's chest. With a piteous moan, Lukos sank to the floor, his back legs twitching. I let out a breath that I wasn't aware I was holding.

"Are you okay?" I asked Nick tersely, pressing his hard body with nervous fingers, trying to find his wound by touch alone. He winced, and pulled a bloody section of his shirt away from his body. "I'm okay. I'll heal."

Of course, I couldn't rest easy with that – I pulled up his shirt and gasped at the wound.

"Nick, it's –"

"Not as bad as it looks. Now come on!" he grabbed my wrist and together, we sprinted out of that attic and down the stairs, him practically dragging me along. Then, as we neared the next flight of stairs, I saw the hulking, huge figure waiting out approach – the Night Person missing from the battle, Tigris. I glared at Nick. "He's a TIGER?"

"You couldn't figure that out by his name?" Nick replied scathingly, releasing my wrist and tensing as the deadly, feral creature on the stairs coiled, settling on its haunches, preparing to spring.

Oh shit. This wasn't going to end well – Nick was wounded and I'd left my knife back upstairs in Lukos' body.

"No time!" I grabbed Nick and spun, dragged him back to his room. Behind me, I heard the tiger jump, land heavily on the floor, skidding across the well-polished teak – I quickly entered the room and slammed the door. No point in bolting it. Crossing to the large windows, I picked up with some difficulty, the chest-of-drawers. Nick, seeing my plan, lifted it from my hands and threw it at the glass, shattering it completely. Behind us, I heard the door splinter.

"We have to jump." I cried, grabbing Nick's hand. Nick turned to me. "You're crazy. You won't survive that." I opened my mouth to argue, but was stunned into silence when Nick grabbed me, holding me in his arms like you'd hold a child. The next second, we were flying – falling – through the night air! I tried to scream, but it was swallowed by the fear that was choking me. I felt Nick twisting below me, compensating for the speed at which we were dropping. We landed heavily, and I rolled from Nick's arms, hitting the ground hard – but with considerably less force than I would have if I'd jumped. I turned and saw Nick on his knees, breathing hard. His face looked pale – or paler than usual. I cursed. "Your stomach!" I leaned over him and he brushed me away. I caught sight of the wound – it was gone. Not even a blemish on his pale skin. Amazing – vampire healing ability. Just amazing.

"It's fine. The rope." His sentences were short, to-the-point. We dashed over to the rope, hanging over the ravine I'd spotted last night, and my heart sank. I don't do heights well.

"Just don't look down," Nick called over his shoulder, already a quarter of the way across.

Huh. Easy for him to say. He'd survive that drop. I turned, looking for an alternative – lucky I did, because behind me I saw the silhouette of a big cat at the window we'd just leapt from. Tigris had made it through the thick oak door and was now preparing to follow us! I jumped slightly and grabbed the rope, wincing at the knives that shot through my right palm.

Hold on girl, just hold on, I told myself firmly. Sharp, white-hot pain seared through my right palm – the cut had been deeper than it had looked.

Come on Bee – it's one lousy rope. Hand over hand. Don't be so pathetic – what would Jez say? Jez who got staked? Or Keller, who fought the dragon? Or freaking Hannah, who went up against Maya. One lousy little rope shouldn't be such a big deal.

And then my mistake. I glanced down.

High! So high! I didn't realize that the gorge was this deep – it hadn't seemed this bad from the window. The pit below me was deep, dark, and I could see myself in my mind's eye, falling, spiraling into that obsidian blackness – my grip loosened…my right hand slipped off the rope, and I gasped. The blood was making it slick, making a grip harder. I wiped my hand off on my jeans, ignoring its painful protest at its rough treatment. Swinging my hand back up, I grabbed onto it, moving hand over hand once more, at a slower pace. I could feel warm tears track down my face, and I took deep breaths – I couldn't help it. I was deathly terrified of heights – even as a child, I couldn't even play on swings, because I'd feel like throwing up. Hand over hand – my world diminished to just the rope, to the coarse feel of it under my palms, the stabbing pains in my hand, and my legs dangling off into nothingness – no!

The pain was getting worse – the rough material of the rope was cutting into the wound, making it deeper, twisting inside it. It was still bleeding, and my hand slipped off again. I couldn't help it – a sob escaped my lips. Quiet, barely discernible, but a sob. Nick, just a few meters ahead of me, switched hands and turned agilely on the rope, as though he did this everyday.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fi-fine," I managed to get out through trembling lips, moving another inch or so. Nick gave me a searching look, and then moved agilely towards me, hand over hand.

"Hold on to me."

"What?" I looked up, my eyes wide.

"Let go of the rope and wrap your arms around my neck."

"You can't carry us both over!"

"Yes, I can. Come on. Let go with your right hand first."

I did so, winding it around his neck.

"Now the other one. You can do it."

I shot him a glance. Compassion, from a vampire? It was happening more and more. I let go with my left hand, dropping down and just managing to curl my left arm around Nick's shoulder, clinging onto his lithe body and hiding my face in his shirt.

Shit. I couldn't remember a time where I'd been more terrified. I held on tightly, sneaking a look straight down and then hiding my face again. I felt Nick swing around again, and then move in a steady, swinging motion; moving swiftly across the ravine. I held on tightly, not looking down, not moving, until I felt us hit solid ground.

Gently, almost tenderly, Nick reached around and unwound my hands from his neck, holding them for a moment longer.

"They won't follow us – Tigris is too stupid and too cowardly to have followed us. He's probably gone back and is telling Ragnar we've escaped," he said scornfully. Then, in a different tone –

"Are you okay?" he asked again, his voice no more than a low whisper. I nodded mutely, not able to find my voice for a moment. He gazed at me a moment longer, and then took my palm, turning it to face upwards. I let out a hiss of pain when I saw how bad it looked – bloody, the ends were ragged, sore and red. It would need stitches at the very least. Nick brushed his fingers gently over it, and I shivered slightly at the coolness I felt from his feather-light touch.

"That blood is as good as a billboard telling them where we are."

We? He'd been using that word a lot more lately. I gasped – Nick's fingers were still across my palm, but now the coolness I felt was more of a soothing tingle, spreading into my palm and across my hand, across the wound – and before my astonished eyes, I saw flesh knit, skin reform, blood fade.

"What…what did you do?"

"I gave you some Power. It's harder to do when you're not a vampire, but I suppose it does help." He sounded faintly amused. His face wore a strange expression, as though he had discovered something he hadn't known before.

I flexed my hand experimentally. "Thank you." I looked up at him more intensely. "Thank you – you saved me. Again. I mean…I'm sorry I flipped on you like that, but I'm terrified of –"

"Heights, the dark, and that freaky chick with the bad haircut from _The Ring_."

My mouth fell open. "How did you know that?"

Nick shrugged. "I do."

I looked up at Nick wonderingly, taking in once more the absolutely breathtaking beauty of his well-sculpted features, that frostlike silver-blond hair, those unknowable eyes that were at this moment, strangely warm-looking and gentle.

"Scared?" he whispered, as we drank in the sight of each other.

"No." I heard myself whisper back softly.

I felt myself flowing towards him again, my legs feeling weak and the air around me feeling like cotton. Those eyes captured mine, steel-gray and silver-blue and gentle green all at once. I felt myself leaning closer and something at that moment – I don't know what, and I don't think I ever will – struck in me, an almost musical feeling, like a well-tuned piano being played for the first time in years. I reached out and wound my left arm around his waist, resting my hand in the small of his back. Nick's eyes widened slightly, and although he didn't remove his gaze from my face, he moved his lips. "We shouldn't do this."

All his words served were to direct my gaze to his mouth, and I was again entranced by how soft his lips looked, how smooth and delicate the skin there was – possibly the only yielding part of this icy, statue-like man before me. And I knew that, whatever would happen, I just wanted to feel them against mine, to see if they truly were as tempting as they appeared.

"Yes we should," I whispered, pulling him closer and closer to me. His head lowered towards mine, and the last thing I saw were those indescribably ethereal orbs of his, the last thing before his lips met mine in a kiss that was sweet and soft and incredibly dizzying, a kiss that seemed to tilt the world on its axis, that seemed to halt everything in nature – there was no future, there was no past, there was only this. Him, and I, and this kiss, his lips moving tenderly over mine, strong and demanding, yet protective and oh! so gentle…and there was a beautiful silvery-gray mist settling over us, wrapping us in feelings as gentle and as fragile as a butterfly's wings. I was falling and soaring and enveloped in a curious mixture of feeling terrified and feeling safe. I wasn't sure what happened next – who broke away, who stopped the kiss, but when I looked up, I knew we weren't where we had been before. We were no longer standing by a huge ravine in a Night World safe house, but instead in a place where there were no barriers, no walls – we were floating in a gleaming mist, our arms around each other. It was some sort of middle zone – behind Nick; I could see the frozen landscape, now no longer in the midst of a blizzard, but snowing softly, gently, covering the ground like a soft blanket. Beyond that, I could see a multitude of purple flowers, dotting the ground, now broken out of the ice palace and growing wild.

_Where are we? What is this?_ I asked, not really very concerned, merely mildly interested. I was much more fascinated by the handsome face before mine.

_We are…where we're meant to be._ Nick replied, his hands running up and down my back, stroking me gently. _And where is that?_ I asked, raising an eyebrow. He hadn't changed that much – still obnoxious – but that just made me happy. He was perfect just the way he was.

Whoa, where had that thought come from? Somehow, I knew it was strange, but I couldn't manage to work up the energy to care.

_You don't know?_ he asked, in the same tone he had when I had asked him what the flowers in his mind.

_No._ I admitted. _I don't._

_Belladonna…it's the soulmate principle._

No! No it wasn't – that's ridiculous. I was seventeen, I didn't want – I wasn't _ready_ for a soulmate! I was happy; I was perfectly fine as a whole soul. Undamaged, not split by the universe.

_I don't want this._ I said, feeling torn apart as I saw the surprised and hurt look in Nick's eyes. _I didn't want this_, I amended.

_Neither do I. Neither did I. _His lips descended towards mine once more, and my hands tangled in his hair as we kissed again, my breath mingling with his in a kiss that sent my pulse racing. I could feel his heart beating. I was the first to break away this time.

_Nick – we're still in danger. We should…we should…_

_I know._

An inescapable tightening, I felt our connection getting thinner and thinner. No! some part of me cried, No, I want this to stay. I want us to stay this way.

But there were other things going on – lives carrying on outside ours. Lives in danger. I shook my head and pulled my mind away from Nick's, and found myself out of that misty dream world, back in reality. I blinked and looked around. Compared to the beauty of the place I had been, the happiness and contentment and joy I had felt, the real world was…stark. Cold. Everything had edges and was bright and sharp and cutting.

"It's different." Nick observed, his intense eyes meeting mine.

"It is," I agreed, gazing at that perfectly sculpted face, straight into his eyes. I'd learned that for even the barest hint of what he was thinking, for any sliver of emotion, you have to go straight to Nick's eyes.

What did I see there that night? Many things. Joy. Wonder. Dismay. Shock. The same things mirrored in my eyes, I suppose. I'd found my soulmate, no-one could look on that with anything but joy. Wonder at how obvious it seemed, how…how _unquestionable_ it was that we were meant for each other. That we had opposite parts of the same soul – I mean, we even looked like opposites! He was fair as I was dark – aesthetically speaking. Inside, I was the Daybreaker; he was the one with the Night World. Dismay – I wasn't a whole soul. My life was tied, _I_ was tied. I wasn't responsible for just myself anymore. And shock – shock that it was Nick. Shock that it happened so quickly. No warning, no prior thoughts, not even a clue. I mean, I'd heard from Mary-Lynette that the first moment you touch your soulmate, you _know_, you feel them in your mind. That hadn't happened to us. I looked up at Nick, uncertainty written across my face.

"What is it?"

"It's just…I mean, in most of the cases I've heard of, soulmates know each other like _that_," I snapped my fingers to demonstrate. "And we…well, we…didn't like each other very much. That's an understatement."

"Didn't we?"

"Well, I thought you were an obnoxious prick, and on a less important note, one of the smartest and most gorgeous guys I've met. But…"

Nick shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know why we didn't feel it immediately, but strangely…" he sighed and switched to the mind-to-mind bond soulmates had. _I don't care. I'm just…_he sounded surprised. _Just happy that we felt it eventually. That doesn't happen to me much._

_What doesn't?_

_Feeling happy._

_Oh, Nick…_

I felt my heart go out to him, but I contained myself, wrapping my arms around myself so I wouldn't move towards him.

An awkward silence ensued.

"We should, uh, get going." Nick muttered. "Ragnar has probably alerted all of his allies by now."

I checked my watch, shocked. The entire episode had taken about five minutes – it had felt like so much longer. Hours. Eons.

"Come on." Nick grabbed my hand almost unconsciously and walked with me. "I left my bike outside the grounds – just in case."

It was only when we had sped off into the night that I remembered the one question I really wanted to ask.

"What are those flowers? The purple ones?"

I knew he smirked again. I _knew_ it. Even if we weren't soulmates, it was simple probability and statistics.

"You _truly_ don't know what they are?"

"You KNOW I don't Nick! Spit it out!" I yelled over the roar of the wind.

"They're plants of a certain type. Highly poisonous. Able to paralyze nerves. Capable of being used in many ways – as an analgesic, a sedative, a narcotic, a hallucinogen."

"Sorry, I used to skip my bio classes. And my chem, for that matter. What are they?"

His answer was just one word. One word that silenced me for the rest of the ride home, one word that sent my mind into a flurry of thoughts and ideas and concepts that I needed to sort out.

"Belladonnas."

---

**Thanks to the people who reviewed xD reviews make me happy. Lurkers, reveal thyselves! Bwahaha.**

Notes

_Bee's banister-climbing trick_ – is actually a fact. Of course, this only works on wooden stairs.

_Belladonnas _– are actually a deadly poisonous flower. For Night World's sake, I prettied them up a bit, but please do not go eating them or touching them. Every single bit of them is poisonous, from the leaves to the roots. Yes, it's an analgesic (painkiller) but it's also deadly.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **Blehmeh.

**Dedication: **Um. To marijuana! Okay, maybe not. To…to riding your bike midday past the three-piece suits.

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **– sorry for the OOC'ness of the other characters, it's been a while since I last read the series over.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter Eight

---

"We have it, Thierry," I crowed as I strutted into the study, Nick's hand in mine. I couldn't help it – since he had told me that his mind was, quite literally, all about me, I'd felt so possessive and protective and so tender towards him. It was like I couldn't bear to let go of him.

At my triumphant words, the entire inner circle spun to look at me. Faces broke out in smiles and relief. I chuckled as Gillian, Jez, Keller, and Iliana all smothered me with hugs. "Guys, I was gone for, like, two days."

That didn't really seem to appease them. Wonder why.

I crossed to Thierry, dropping the stone onto his mahogany desk with a definitive _thud_.

"Ugly little thing though. But it did save my life."

"Your life?" Thea asked. "How did it save your life?"

"And more to the point," Hannah broke in, "why did your life _need_ saving in the first place?"

I saw Jez shoot Nick a threatening look, but then her silver-blue eyes flicked to our entwined hands. Oh, so someone finally noticed? I felt a little miffed. Jez raised a questioning look in my direction and I looked innocent, glancing at Nick. His cocky shadow of a smirk was back on his face, and all-in-all, he looked thoroughly pleased with himself. I rolled my eyes.

"Well done Bee!" Thierry's eyes glowed, and he picked up the crystal between two delicate fingers. "Hannah's right though – how did everything…?" His question trailed off.

"Well." I began, comfortable with my audience – Iliana's violet eyes were wide, Mary-Lynette's face was curious. Even Morgead looked interested.

"We got in okay. In fact, it all went according to plan _until_ Lukos – this totally ugly wolf? Kinda figured it out. Because apparently, Nick doesn't make a habit out of making pawns. So right as I'd picked up the crystal, I turned, and, like, Lukos and Ragnar –"

"RAGNAR?!" Rashel looked shocked. "He was there?"

"Oh, yeah. The only time the crystal would be left unguarded was when he arrived, because the puffed-up, power-crazy loon insisted on some sort of meeting. So anyway, I turned, and he was there. Along with Lukos. And then I reach for my knife, right, and –"

"Your _knife_? You? Alone? Against two Night People?"

"_Yes_," I said exasperatedly, shooting David an annoyed look. "Let me finish!"

"Whoa, where was Nick?" Maggie broke in mistrustfully.

I sighed. "Nick was being held back by a couple of vampires. That's what I'm coming to – Ragnar said that if I didn't put the crystal back, he'd kill Nick. So I threatened to smash it."

Gasps from around the room.

"You didn't!" Poppy squealed, grinning. Sick sense of humor, that girl.

"Hell yeah I did!" I returned, baring my teeth. "So he – Ragnar – _launches_ himself at me, and he's just about to rip my throat out, but then Nick," and here I let go of his hand and poked him slightly, "manages to fend off _both_ vamps on him, and yanks Ragnar off of me, with perfect timing. Then I go into the fight – oh Rashel! I lost that knife! The one with silver _and_ wooden blades?"

Rashel shook her head. "Bee! That was lignum vitae!" She sighed. "I'll get you another one for Halloween."

"Appreciated. Anyway, Nick and I get rid of one leech between us, and then he tells me to go get the crystal – which I've oh-so-intelligently dropped. Behind me, Nick and the remaining leech are basically killing each other. But when I near the crystal, Ragnar is standing, like, practically on top of it. I managed to grab it and stake him through the foot –" and here all the vampires in the room winced. "And spin away. He grabs me and nearly breaks my freaking wrist – asshole – and I drop the crystal again. But here's the thing –" I fixed Thierry with an intense stare. "It glowed! That's where it saved my life – it suddenly _explodes_ with light. It was…" I shook my head. "So bright. Blinding, almost. It managed to blind Ragnar enough that I could get away. By then, Nick had gotten rid of the puppy _and_ the leech behind us, so we headed out of the attic."

"Not both of them," Nick corrected. "You got rid of Lukos."

I inclined my head modestly. "Well, yeah, I guess so. That's how I lost my knife, for your information, _Rashel_. Fighting evil, so don't look so offended."

"You're saying this crystal lit up?" Thierry looked curious.

"Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying. Lit up like a million billion Christmas lights in one itty-bitty rock."

"Fascinating." He offered it to Iliana, who took it and began turning it over in her palms.

"The rest is…uh…anticlimactic." I looked nonchalant as Jez and Gillian (whose ear Jez had discreetly and hurriedly been whispering into) fixed me with the beady-eyed 'I know you're hiding something so you'd better spit it out' glares that only your best friends seem to be capable of giving you. I stuck my tongue out at them, earning a nasty glare from Ash, who had caught my look.

"Bee, Nick – Circle Daybreak can't thank you enough. Truly, words can't express –"

"Hell yeah they can!" Jez broke in.

"I'd like to propose a toast to Bee's noble try! It went well." That was, obviously, from Gillian.

"Nice job girl!" Poppy shrieked, as Keller and Rashel echoed that statement.

"I didn't think you'd do it!" Morgead looked impressed, and I scowled at him.

"Guys, please!" Thierry looked amused as the hilarity died down. "Bee – thank you. You have no idea how –"

"Thierry, enough already. I just did what anyone else would do. And it turned out well."

Thierry grinned. "Thea, Iliana – can you alert Aradia and Mother Cybele immediately? Thank you." Then he turned to Nick.

"Nick," he began formally. "Circle Daybreak is indebted to you too, and if there is anything you desire, please don't hesitate to tell us."

Nick was as frosty and cool as ever. "I think I have all I could ever want."

My heart raced at those words – they sounded sardonic and dispassionate, but I could feel the twinge between us, that connection we had experienced earlier swirling around us again.

"Well…" Thierry looked pensive. "We've already set aside a room for you, unless you're going somewhere."

I looked up. What _would_ be happening? We hadn't really discussed anything. Not that we'd need to, I guess. He's my soulmate – it seems pretty cut-and-dried that he'd be staying with me, with Daybreak. Which was good.

Nick didn't reply, but merely nodded. Thierry gave him a warm, if still doubtful, smile and pulled out his phone.

"Hello, Nilsson? Nils, I need you to come up to the study and take Mister…ah…Nick to his room. Yes, thank you Nils."

"Um, Thierry – I'm sure you want to cross-question Bee some more, but it's going to have to wait until later," Jez said forcefully, her and Gillian coming up behind me and grabbing one of my arms each. I struggled a little, but as if on cue, they both dug their nails in.

I squealed. "You guys!"

Thierry looked confused and a little freaked. "Um, I'm not sure that –"

Hannah leaned over Thierry's shoulder. "Oh, let them go. I'm sure they have a lot to catch up on." She crossed to us and slung an arm around my shoulders. "I'll even go with them to keep them out of trouble." Gillian, Jez, and Hannah all shot Thierry their widest, most innocent grins. I shot them dirty looks – geez, they could really pull off that innocent act. Gill's Harman eyes positively _glowed_ with virtuousness, and Jez's rarely-seen dimple was showing in her cheek. As for Hannah, her wise face was looking uplifted and saintly.

These bitches were _good_.

Thierry, at this point, looked terrified. "Um…just don't take too long." He nodded vehemently, turning his gaze to Delos and James, who had been trying to get his attention for several minutes now.

With that, Jez and Gillian dragged me away, Hannah giving me a scarily wide smile.

"I, um – I'll just be a moment," I told Nick, eyes big.

_What on Earth is wrong with them? _Nick asked; his lips not moving.

I started. I hadn't realized that the connection included telepathic abilities when not touching.

_I think that I'm in for the third degree. Wish me luck. _I inclined my head slightly as I heard the door open. _Oh, that's Nils. The one with the long hair in the ponytail? _All this was relayed mind-to-mind as Gillian and Jez continued pulling my out of the room, my heels dragging on the thick, fluffy carpet.

The moment I was outside the room, they shut the door firmly and all three of them turned to glare at me, hands on their hips.

I tried the innocent approach. "What's up?" My eyes were so round and simple that I was in danger of resembling a basset hound.

No answer. The glares intensified. Ah, screw it. I can't do innocent. I tried for charming. I put on my best smile. "Is something wrong?"

Okay, this was getting weird. My eyes flicked from face to face – Gillian's elfin, knowing look; Jez's cocky expression, and Hannah's one of anticipation. You know, that really parental I-know-what-you're-thinking look.

"What?" Playing dumb this time. "Do I have something in my teeth?"

The three of them sighed in unison, and shuttled me into an empty room, Jez pushing me down onto a sofa.

"You guys, this is creeping me out. You're acting like the Stepford Daybreakers or something."

Gillian giggled a little at that one.

I leaned back more comfortably and raised an eyebrow.

"You. Him. Holding hands." Hannah said accusingly. "Explain."

"I second that motion!" Jez chimed in.

I turned my gaze to Gillian. "Gill – what do you have to add?"

She smiled wickedly, her delicate cheekbones making her look completely innocent and at the same time, evil. "Like a breath of midnight air, like a lighthouse, like a prayer –"

"That's enough out of you, missy," Hannah scolded. "Do you have something pertinent to say?"

"You make fun, yet I'm the one attempting to do some good."

I rolled my eyes. "Gillian – there is a real world. Open up to it. Embrace it. _Please_."

She giggled once more. "Okay, okay. So, tell us. You were holding his hand."

Okay, I still had a few tricks up my sleeve. Time for defensive. "What, like that's so weird? Come on! Hannah, you're holding Gill's hand right now! Friends hold hands occasionally."

"Hah! Friends!" Jez looked triumphant, her snapping blue eyes victorious. "I thought you hated the guy?"

"I _did_. But when someone saves your life a couple of times, you end up feeling pretty charitable towards them."

"He saved your life? That is so…" Gill trailed off, her eyes gleaming.

I sighed. These girls knew me too well. "Y'all are acting crazy."

At this, they all gasped and acted injured. "Did I say something to offend you?"

"Do frogs croak?" returned Hannah, scowling.

"Okay, I'll bite. If there's nothing else besides friendship there, why are you smiling like that?" Jez asked.

Was I smiling? I reflexively reached up to touch my face. Damn, I was! I turned my head and caught my reflection in a mirror – I had this huge goofy smile on my face. I tried to turn it off, but it just came right back.

"You look like a damn Christmas tree, girl." Jez observed, whistling through her teeth.

"Um, I'm just happy we got the crystal," I invented pathetically.

Hannah rolled her eyes and all three of them flopped next to me on the sofa, muttering about 'hard-headed freaks' and 'stubborn brats'. Huh, wonder who they were referring to.

"Bee, were you always this stupid or did you take lessons?" Gillian asked conversationally. I glared at her.

"Okay, guys, you've officially gone mad. If that's all the craziness for today, I think I'll just go check on –" I barely caught myself from blurting out Nick's name. Shit. All the girls had predatory expressions on their faces.

"Check on whom, Bee?" Jez asked pleasantly, her tone musical.

"Um. The crystal. Yes." I began backing towards the door, my hand feeling behind me for the doorknob.

"Don't. Even. Think about it." Gillian snapped out. She beckoned. "Come here."

I hung my head and slouched over. I knew when I was beat.

And I wasn't beat yet. I could play this game all night.

"What?"

"Bee. Why were you holding Nick's hand?"

"Because I was being friendly."

"That's awfully nice of you."

"That's how I am," I agreed with Hannah. "A regular saint."

Jez made a noise of disbelief. "That's the biggest piece of bullshit I've heard all year."

I feigned hurt. "Jezebel, I can't believe you! You, of all people, would say such things."

"Oh, sorry, _Belladonna_, it just slipped out."

We glared at each other for a moment. Then the silence was broken by Gillian, who gave a wide yawn.

"Well, I'm really tired. I think I'll turn in."

I looked at her suspiciously.

"What? It's been a long day."

"So I can go?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." She giggled. "Night." Then she turned to Jez with calculated slowness. "Hey Jez. Where do you think Nick's been put?"

I froze, trying to figure out the counterstrike to this unanticipated new move. "Oh, I don't know Gill. You know, it's lucky I have Morgead – if not, I'd definitely be finding out and paying him a visit."

"Mm. I mean, don't get me wrong – I love Thierry, but did you _see_ Nick's eyes? They're so…"

"Mystical!" Gill chimed in.

"Exactly. And that face!"

"Forget the face," Jez cut in. "Did you see that body?"

Okay, that was it. I spun and sat back down. "I wasn't at all convincing?"

The three of them broke into giggles.

"Not to us," Hannah said kindly, patting me on the back. "It's so obvious you had a crush on him. Even when he first arrived, you couldn't take your eyes off him."

My mouth fell open. "For your kind information, _Hannah_, I did not have a 'crush' on him in any way, shape, or form. I loathed him."

"If you say so."

I shut my eyes, rubbing my eyelids tiredly. "He's my soulmate," I said, in a voice that was barely audible.

That got a reaction.

"WHAT?" the three shrieked in unison. Jez hugged me. "Bee, that's wonderful!"

Hannah joined in, poking me in the side.

Only Gill remained quiet. "Is it? What's wrong, honeybee?"

"I dunno. I mean…it just happened, out of the blue. Well, no, it didn't. The first time I got an inkling of anything, it was when he bit me -"

"He bit you?" Jez sounded indignant.

"Well, yeah. This was at the beginning; I didn't want him to go eat some innocent girl."

The others nodded in understanding. "But then…well, I saw into his mind. And it was so…" I trailed off. "You know? But I figured that was just the normal blood bond."

Jez looked sympathetic. "Uh, babe? The blood bond doesn't allow you to see into someone else's mind. It just enhances telepathy."

"I didn't know that!" I snapped. "I mean, there were no sparks when we touched, no instant rapport –" I paused. "He knew what I was thinking. Even though I didn't tell him."

"Sounds like the soulmate bond to me."

"Uh-huh," I said absently. "Look, you guys – can I explain this tomorrow? I'm really tired, and I…I…"

"Have things to sort out with a certain ice sculpture?" Hannah nodded understandingly.

"Yeah, we'll quiz you more tomorrow," Jez promised. I rolled my eyes.

"Night, honeybee," Gill called, as I left the room in a near-daze, closing the door behind me.

He had known. He had known what I was scared of; he'd had symbolic belladonnas in his mind since we began the journey. But he didn't even know me!

And I felt something else welling up, beneath the confusion and lo – uh, emotion.

Anger.

Why hadn't he told me? Why hadn't I known?

---

**The next update may be a bit of a while – I'm making an international move, so you can imagine how hectic things are. I love my One-gig pen drive :D such a useful expenditure of $38. Bwahaha. Anyway – it might be a while. Sorry. **

Notes

_Nilsson being called Nils_ – Nils is a real person and a real name. It's German for 'guardian', and also a derivative of Nicholas, the patron saint of thieves, sailors, Christmas, among other things.

_Like a breath of midnight air…_ - _Love Heals_, a song from **RE_N_T**.

_You make fun… _- _La Vie Bohème_, another song from **RE_N_T**. Well, actually it's the intro, sung by Benny.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **Call me not LJ.

**Dedication: **To Nils, to Steph, to Joe, and to Jared. Glompage.

**EDIT: **Also to Zaki. Because he's of the cool. To quote Snow Queen – "Why is he worth it?" … IMDb it if you are curious.

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter Nine

---

I found him in the room just opposite mine – although none of the inner circle stay in Thierry's mansion, there are rooms set for us whenever one of our meeting's goes overtime. I stayed in the same safe house, the same enclave as Jez and Morgead and a bunch of the Old Souls we'd found.

I didn't know how I knew he was in there – I just did. I could sense that strange wintry-warm aura he seemed to have, a presence that both warmed me and made me shiver.

Soulmate connection? Must be. Soulmates? Definitely. In love with him? Not by choice.

Without bothering to knock, I threw the door open, stomping in and slamming it closed behind me. Nick was lying back on the huge bed, in just his jeans. The sight of him shirtless threw me for a moment, but then I steeled my resolve. Sure, the sight of his perfect, lithely-muscled body might've thrown ninety-nine percent of the female population off-guard, and his bored-looking, flawless features would have taken care of the remaining percent, but Belladonna Turner was made of stronger stuff. Damn straight. I forced my face into a thunderous expression and glared down at him, hands on my hips.

Surprisingly enough, he sat up gracefully, lazily. "What is it?"

"What is it?" I repeated, taken aback. "What is it?"

"You seem to be repeating yourself," Nick drawled.

My mouth fell open.

"You infuriate me, you know that? I'd happily strangle you."

Of course, that was only because he could make me blush. And forget what I wanted to say. And stutter.

Nick rolled his eyes slightly. "If you've come in to bitch and yell at me, you can just turn around right now."

I opened my mouth to snap something snide back, but no sound came out. I swallowed and tried again, but I just choked. And then, to my horror, I could feel warmth tracking down my cheeks. Shocked, I touched the warmness, and my fingers came away wet.

Tears.

I was crying. Me. Nick caught sight of my glistening cheeks and sat up, his face completely alert.

"Tears." Nick said, his voice sounding stunned. "You're…you're crying."

"No I'm not," I vehemently denied, brushing the back of my hand against my face to no avail. The tears continued to fall, faster and faster, until I had to take a huge, shuddering gasp to catch my breath. It didn't help – sobs caught in my chest and I couldn't breathe well enough. Nick stood and wrapped me in his arms.

"What's wrong Belladonna? What – why are you…?"

I shook my head, holding him close and hiding my face in his bare skin. "I don't…I don't know." The tears came more furiously, until I was all-out sobbing, crying brokenly. I couldn't stop – the tears seemed to fall of their own accord.

"Belladonna…please, please stop crying. What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong? I can't fix it if you don't –" Nick's voice stopped for a moment, as though he was saying something strange and foreign. When he spoke again, his voice was full of wonder. "I can't fix it if you don't tell me. And I want to fix it."

I felt him running a hand through my hair, down my back, soothing me quietly. And at that moment, I knew for sure, with no doubts in my mind that not only was he my soulmate, but that I loved him.

I loved him. Me, who had always sneered at the touchy-feely crap I'd seen from my friends in Daybreak. Belladonna Turner, who…who was too proud and too self-reliant to ever rely on someone else.

How could I love him? It sounded ridiculous. I didn't believe in love at first sight, and certainly not with someone whose views were in direct opposition to mine. We were nothing alike, we had nothing in common. If winter had taken on a face and a voice, if snow and hail and frost had all gathered themselves together to form a person, they would have made Nick. He was elemental in his beauty, his ruthlessness, his indifference. But I did love him. I could even pinpoint the first moment it happened – when I first saw his eyes, they captivated me – luminous and knife-sharp, strong and intelligent, full of secrets.

What was love, anyway? What was the _point _of love?

"You knew, didn't you?" I whispered, once the sobs had subsided. I was still in his arms, although now we were sitting on the bed, our arms still wrapped around each other. "You knew I was your soulmate when you first met me."

"I didn't know for sure. But when I saw you…" Nick trailed off, gazing at me with those uncannily beautiful eyes the color of starlight and moonbeams. He switched to telepathy.

_When I walked into that room and saw you, I knew there was something special about you. I just knew instinctively that you'd change my life. It was so hard to ignore you when you spoke, to not turn and answer you. That night, on the balcony – I was angry because I could feel you chipping away at my walls. It was all I could do to not turn and kiss you. I'd never felt this way about anyone before. So I suspected._

"And the belladonnas?" I asked quietly.

"You worked your way into my mind. How could you not? You were beautiful, you were brave, intelligent and defiant."

And then, in my mind. _You were everything I could ask for and more._

"Why did you help us?" my voice shook slightly, I didn't know why I was even bothering to _ask_ these questions. Nothing he could say could change the way I felt. And it's a terrifying feeling, not the beauty and joy you think it'd be – you feel…trapped. But at the same time, you don't care, because you're somewhere you _want_ to be. And there's your head and your heart warring every moment, each telling you different things.

"It felt like something I had to do." A standard Nick reply – noncommittal, aloof, explaining nothing. And yet, I loved him for it.

"I thought you hated me."

A silence. And then – "I kept asking you if you were scared. Do you remember?"

"I do."

"I kept asking because I wanted to know if you were scared of me, the same way I was scared of you and how you made me feel."

I kissed him. I couldn't help it, I didn't even plan it. But I did, a long kiss that turned wild. I felt as though electricity was flooding my every nerve, sending a mass of sweet shocks throughout my system. Hands moved, arms held, and I heard myself moan as his lips moved against mine.

"How do you do this to me?" Nick whispered breathlessly once I'd pulled away. I answered him with another question.

_Nick, does it make any sense that the universe would pick you to be my soulmate? Do you think it's planned, that our personalities have to match, or it's done randomly?_

I had to ask. I had to know, to understand whatever it was that had been taking me over since I'd first met him. It wasn't _fair_, the universe wasn't giving me a choice. We were basically incompatible, on every level – and yet…

Nick brushed his lips against my cheek, trailing down to my neck, leaving a burning sensation that made me close my eyes against the pleasure. _We do match. I don't care what the universe thinks, but we do. We complement._

I must've looked skeptical, because he continued. _I'm cold, you're warm. I anticipate, you precipitate. You never shut up – _he nipped my neck, sending a thrill through me, and I reached my hands up to tangle in his hair, pulling his lips against mine and reveling in the dizzying sensation. _And you never speak?_ I threw back, feeling him smirk against my lips.

_That smirk annoys me._

_I know,_ Nick returned. _I loved seeing the expression on your face whenever I did it – it was sexy._ I rolled my eyes. _It was. Don't you realize how beautiful you are?_

Well, I wasn't about to correct him.

_Not to mention waking up that morning with you all over me,_ he said in a slightly more sardonic tone. I gasped, from both the shock the statement brought and the tingling feeling that Nick brought on as he inched his hand up under my top.

_I thought you were asleep!_

_I'm lamia, Belladonna. You thought you were that sneaky? _He kissed me again, this time on the forehead. I was at this point completely lost, lost in a flurry of thoughts and kisses – the pleasure of being completely open to him, having him see my thoughts and being able to see his; and the physical pleasure of his expert lips on various parts of my body. He slowly lowered me down onto the bed so I was on my back, his lips going from my neck to my stomach as he slowly pulled up my shirt, baring a small sliver of stomach.

_It was torture, having you that close to me. Not to mention the bike ride…_he trailed off wickedly, and I made a sound of protest, reaching up and yanking his head down to mine in a rough, hard kiss.

_You were so cold. I had no idea that you were this…_I trailed off.

_I am cold. But if winter comes, can spring be far behind?_

I grinned. Everything I'd said earlier – about Nick being passionless, cold, arctic – it was true on a level. But deeper inside, like the blue flame at the centre of a fire, he was full of passion. He was ardent, fiery, intense. Like the core of a flame – it didn't appear as hot as the yellow or red or orange, but it was even more consuming.

_I lose myself when you're around. _Nick told me, caressing my face delicately.

_Me? What about you? I have to hold on for my life to keep from drowning in your eyes,_ I teased, my hands roaming up and down his hard body – from his abdominal muscles to his shoulders and back down. I watched his face in fascination as I moved my hands just a little lower and began fiddling with the waistband of his jeans. A curious mix of pleasure and pain, and a groan escaped his lips.

_Belladonna –_

_Why do you always call me that? _I asked, mildly annoyed but much too preoccupied with tracing my fingers torturously gently down his torso.

_Because it means beautiful lady._

My vision blurred as Nick moved his weight on top of my body, his eyes and mine locked in a trancelike stare.

_I'm not beautiful, _I told him. _You know, I always thought love was meant to happen to other people. Special people. Not me._

_You are special. You are beautiful._ He leaned his head down and captured my lips again, the skin-on-skin contact strengthening the mental bond between us. _Why wouldn't you find love?_

_I'm just…me. Boring. Average._

_You are you, and she's someone amazing. And that's all I want,_ he told me, shifting his attention to my clavicle. _And you are anything but average._

A whimper escaped my lips by way of answer.

_I love you,_ I said honestly, not sure what else to do. _I don't know how or why, but I do. Is it even right?_

_Does it feel right?_

_It feels…perfect. Beyond right. _I hissed as Nick pulled my top up farther, just below my bra. He kissed his way up and down – to just below my breasts to back down, at that spot just below my belly button.

_It's meant to be. I love you,_ he said, returning to my lips. _I love you._

_I love you too,_ I replied, surprised at how right, how…perfect…the words felt. So I hadn't known him for long. I already _knew_ him – I'd been into his mind. Perhaps finding your soulmate lacked the mystery and twists and turns of actually falling in love, but the feeling of knowing someone in and out, of belonging completely, was exhilarating. I placed my hand over the place in his chest his heart was – entranced by the steady beats, the way it harmonized with my own.

Nick broke the kiss and moved his lips languidly to the hollow of my throat. I arched my neck, exposing it like both a lover and a victim. Slowly, reverently, he pulled off my shirt, gently tugging the soft fabric over my head and tossing it to the floor. I guided his hands to my back, and he easily removed the clasp of my bra, adding that to the floor. I pulled him closer to me, enjoying the sensation of his hard, flat-muscled body against my own softer one. Heat moved from his body to mine, from mine to his. We were slowly scorching each another with our passion, with our fire. Cold? Nick? Never. His hands moved over my body, a curious heady mix of gentle yet demanding, possessive yet awed.

Our skin-on-skin contact made my thoughts reel, all my faultless logic escape my mind. This girl here was my other side, the one I'd seen that first night I'd encountered Nick – brave and bold and daring. And yet, she was thoughtful, controlled, deliberate.

I reached down and unbuttoned Nick's jeans, tugging them down as best I could.

_Belladonna…are you sure?_

I said nothing but let him into my mind, so he would see the answer for himself. _I love you,_ I replied simply. _What is there to wait for?_

With a heart full to bursting and a passion I never suspected he possessed, he kissed me again, fully, deeply. I felt myself opening up to his light, to his strength. I wanted him, wanted him like I've never wanted anyone else. I wanted to completely bury myself in him, entirely and completely. It was perfect, because I knew that he was made for me and me for him. I pulled off his jeans, fumbling and tugging until they came off, and he kicked them off the bed, refusing to lift his lips from my own. Wherever he touched I felt fire and ice, and I knew he felt the same. I could feel his ice-bright mind and crystalline thoughts around me as well, touching me as intimately mentally as he was physically. His long, elegant fingers wandered down, leisurely taking their time. I wriggled a little, impatient, burying my hands in his silvery-blond hair. He smirked against my lips.

_Nick, if you don't – _

_Hush._ His fingers started pulling on the waist of my jeans.

I hushed.

Once the remaining articles of clothing had been ridded, Nick looked at me, simply looked.

_Belladonna – you're sure? I just…I want this to be perfect._

_It is perfect. Because it's you._

He sank down beside me, trailing his hand down my body, his lips following. I felt tiny shudders whenever, wherever he touched.

_You're my first, _I admitted, as he kissed my eyelids, my forehead, and finally my lips.

_I'll be your first, and I'll be your last,_ he promised me, our limbs instinctually embracing each other. I was clinging to him as though he was my salvation, my heart and soul, my everything. He was the thunder and I was the lightning. I was clinging to him desperately, wanting more and more. He made me shiver with ecstasy, moan with pleasure, gasp with rapture. Everything I saw and felt was starlight and wonder, and when I began spiraling into that starlit oblivion, our minds and bodies were perfectly melded together, joined as one.

What's the point of love?

Maybe it's one of those pointless things that we just _can't_ resist. Maybe it's something – the only thing – that compels us to give our all.

I suppose the beauty of love is this: it doesn't have to have a point. You don't love for a reason, because then love becomes conditional. You love because you do. There's no set explanation, no logical process to it. It's a shifting blend of colors, each one more beautiful, more heartbreaking, more joyful, more painful that the last.

Must love have a point? Loving when there is no point is far more beautiful, far more glorious, far more heroic than loving because there is a point. The fire and the joy that come from love come from those two people who can connect on a level not explainable by science, psychology, logic.

And I knew that no matter how dark the future would become, whatever terrors the night would bring – I'd always have tonight. I would always remember tonight…for it was the beginning of always.

---

**Huh. That was your author, breaking new ground. 0o Anyway, please read and review.**

**Sorry for the delay, I've moved countries and I have no computer yet. is for some unknown reason blocked from my college computers, and so I have to hijack my friend's laptop. Go read her, she's arashimine on Leave her a review, she's a sweetheart. **

**Anyway. Sorry again. Leave a review! Many hearts. **

Notes

_All thoughts regarding love_ – must have full credit given to my dearly beloveds, namely, Stephanie K, Nils L, and Joseph E. Oh, and also Jared H, but he is certainly _not_ a dearly beloved. And oh my God, if you know any of them and mention this, I think I just might shoot myself in humiliation. I think I'm going to delete their last names and just use their initial. Done. Okay. Good.

_Remember tonight…_ - this line is a very famous quote from Dante Alighieri.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **Psst. You know that LJ chick? Yeah, well, she kinda _owns_ this.

**Dedication****: **There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave: you were what I wanted, I gave what I gave. I'm not sorry I met you, I'm not sorry it's over – I'm not sorry there's nothing to save.

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter Ten

---

I woke up the next morning feeling cool fingers entwine themselves in my dark hair, petting and stroking.

"Mrff." I mumbled, swatting at the hand. A low chuckle, and then the hand resumed its bothering, trailing across my forehead and down my jaw line. It tickled.

"Mphf," was my next intelligent statement as I grabbed the offending hand and tucked it beneath my chin, curling it under my cheek. Just as I felt myself sinking back into a soft void of sleep, the hand freed itself and continued its tickling ministrations. I tried to snatch it again, but it moved around my face too quickly – first poking my cheek and then flitting away to brush my eyelids.

"Okay, I'm freaking up." I said, not even opening my eyes. "What?"

"Good morning." Nick's voice was cool, calm, amused.

"What's good about it?" I returned grumpily. "The sun is shining and the birds are chirping. That doesn't seem good to me."

"And I thought _I_ was the Night Person here," Nick deadpanned. My eyes opened just a crack and I could see that damned, insufferable smirk on his face. I scowled.

"There's that face again," Nick whispered, his lips hovering near mine.

"I don't like you." I muttered, pulling him close and resting my head against his chest, lulled by the steady rhythm of his heart beating and the soft breaths he was taking.

"This position seems familiar. And I know you don't like me – you love me."

I thwacked him on the chest, too tired to do anything else.

"You really are _not_ a morning person, are you? Tired out?"

"Keenly observed, Sherlock," I griped. "Not all of us have vampire endurance."

The _moment_ those words left my lips I knew that I had not only made a big mistake opening my mouth, but I had also given Nick all the ammunition he would _ever_ need against me. Before he could say anything I quickly stepped in – "Don't you dare. Don't. You. Dare. Say a word. Please?"

A low, confidently sexy chuckle. "Belladonna –"

"Bee."

"Yes – _bee_ quiet. Belladonna, we need to talk."

I opened my eyes and struggled to a sitting position, pulling the bedclothes up to my chest. "About?"

I turned to look at Nick and felt a little more awake – he did that to you, seeing him first thing in the morning. Like opening your window on the first day of winter and feeling that icy fresh wind. He looked gorgeous even with hair tousled from sleep (and other activities). At this point, he looked wary and cautious, like a spelunker in an uncharted cave.

"About what's happening next."

Next? There was a next? Once you found your soulmate, there wasn't a 'next', that was it. You found him and lived happily ever after. At least, that's what it's like in Daybreak. I felt that cold chill of premonition that I had been feeling more and more in the past few days. I reached out and took Nick's hand, closing my eyes as that tingling, dizzying feeling took over. All this time, I'd labeled that feeling as anger – the feelings of inarticulacy, of not knowing what to say. But now I knew that they were just manifestation of the soulmate bond. And when you weren't angry, or exasperated, or fighting it, it felt pretty damn amazing. Wonderful, even.

_Nick?_ I asked mentally, not knowing what that lump in my throat was, not knowing why I had that feeling of dread.

_Smile,_ he told me menacingly, leaning closer and closer to my neck until I could feel his warm breath against my skin. _Smile or else._

"Oh, like that's going to work," I told him, giggling a little.

"You know, you're very lucky," he replied conversationally by way of answer. "Hardly anybody dares laugh at me. Those stupid enough to do it only do it once. Just once."

I rolled my eyes. "Thank you for that, Lestat."

_Don't be clever. Hurry and shower – changing into clothes is optional._

I rolled my eyes. Who knew Nick the evil vampire could be so…well, so _guyish_? I liked it – it was endearing. It highlighted the normalcy of a mostly abnormal situation – species and culture and wars aside, we were just two kids in love. Because the ideas of perfection, reason, truth and morality can only exist absolutely in this world where one is blinded by love.

About half an hour later, I emerged from my room and knocked on the door opposite mine.

_Oh, _now_ you knock,_ came Nick's sardonic reply. He was quite the smartass, wasn't he? I scowled and pushed open the door. Suddenly, all my bravado and masks fell away. "You wanted me?"

"No. I want you." A predatory, intense expression. "Present tense." He crossed the room and enfolded me into his arms, his lips swooping down to claim my own. I breathed in his scent, clean like the air after rain, and a bit like shampoo and something else that was just Nick.

"Funny, Nick," I said, despite the wobbling in my knees. "Seriously – you wanted to talk?"

He did look serious then, sitting me down on the bed. He knelt before me, his hands on my knees. Oh shit, he wasn't going to –

"Don't look so panicked," Nick said dryly. "I'm not proposing."

Oh geez, that was scary. I mean, sure, one day, my soulmate, why not, you know? But still. Too much commitment in too short a time.

"Belladonna – and if you freaking dare open your mouth to say _anything_, I strongly advise you to _not_. Listen, Belladonna…you're not going to like this, but…"

Nick lapsed into a moody silence then, as though he didn't want to verbalize his thoughts. Not that I needed them – that connection between us was still alive and strong and glowing, and it told me things. Whispered them to me.

"You want me to leave Daybreak?" I asked, my eyes widening. "Nick! It's not that dangerous, and I'll be involved in the Millennium war _anyway_, and we're on the road to finding the final Wild Power so it's almost guaranteed we win and –"

He sighed in frustration and sat down next to me. "Belladonna, I know Daybreak is a match for the Night World. That doesn't make it safe for specifically you. I just…want you with me."

"Well, I _will_ be." I didn't understand. "We're in this war together."

Nick's head snapped up at that, and he fixed me with his silver-winter eyes. "I'm not with Daybreak."

I didn't understand. I switched to telepathy. _Nick…I don't…you helped us._

_And it was a strictly one-off thing. Belladonna, don't you get it? I had my reasons for helping and they're gone now._

_What, so I'm not a reason to stay?_ I asked angrily.

_You won't leave Daybreak? _Was Nick's just as heated rejoinder.

_I _can't!_ I have responsibilities!_

_And so do I,_ Nick replied.

"I'm fighting for something worthwhile, Nick! I just can't…I just can't _leave _that."

"Belladonna – I have things to take care of. I wish you'd come with me, but I know I can't force you."

"This is ridiculous! Nick, what the hell is wrong with you?" I asked, my eyes filling with tears. I blinked them back. "Why can't you just stay?"

"Why can't you come with me?" Nick replied, that icy tone frozen over once more. "Belladonna, I love you, but why should I change for you? Why won't you –" he broke off. "Why won't you change for me? Being in…in love with you – it doesn't change the person that I am."

_But I'm your soulmate!_ I yelled telepathically.

_And I'm yours._

"Do I at least get to know what you're leaving me for?" was my icy response. Nick shot to his feet and stared down imposingly at me. I didn't bat an eyelid.

"I'm not _leaving_ you, damnit! I'm trying to take you with me."

"You're avoiding the question again."

He ran his hands through his hair. "I…I can't tell you. I'm – I'm sorry, Belladonna, but I just _can't_."

"Won't, or can't?" I hissed, trying to hurt him. I was just so confused – and it was happening so fast. I mean, I'd just _found_ him, and we'd…after last night, after we had – he could just _leave_?

Well, that's not exactly fair. I mean, logically, I _knew_ that asking him to change for me was just as selfish as he asking me to abandon Daybreak. But who the hell said I had to be logical?

"I…" Nick trailed off, looking at me impassively.

"You know, I could just grab your hand and find out myself," I threatened hollowly. "I _could_."

He outstretched his hand. "Go ahead."

I stared at that smooth palm mistrustfully, indecisively. I shook my head. "Nick, I could – but I'd much rather you _told_ me. Why can't you just tell me?"

"You know that if I could, I would."

Several hours later, I took a deep shuddering breath, trying to filter out the scared, confused thoughts. I shot a look over at Nick, who was sitting on the window seat, once again staring down the sinking sun as the horizon drank it down. It reminded me of the first time I'd looked at him, truly _looked_. Then, he'd been cold and withdrawn. Today, he just looked…tired and confused. Much older than eighteen.

But then, he was from the Night World. It's kill or be killed where he grew up, and you age faster when that's what you live by, as he had stated.

I laughed hollowly. "So this is it, huh?"

Hours of debate and decisions and all-out slanging matches hadn't helped. Hours of kisses and tears and thoughts. He was leaving. Leaving _me_, for a reason he wouldn't tell me and that I didn't want to discover myself.

Was that understandable? We might have been soulmates, but that didn't mean that I didn't want him to trust me. By choice, not because of some power no-one fully understood. Was that illogical or stupid, idealistic? Just because we were soulmates, did that mean we couldn't…I don't know. Couldn't have that solid foundation that _normal_ couples have? That has to be built up over years? Was love so trivial to the Old Powers that they could just flick a switch in someone's head and _force_ you to love someone else, without any basis or discernment?

"You won't…you won't change your mind?" Nick asked gloomily.

"Will you?"

Nick looked at me with tormented eyes just then. The bleak blizzard-gray of a snowstorm.

"Belladonna…"

I knew then that he'd been right – and wrong. While we were in direct contrast – like yin and yang, we were also alike, so much alike. Both of us had strong, dominating personalities. We'd both stuck to our guns in the argument, neither backing down. Not even for their soulmate. We were both _stubborn_ and obstinate and opinionated.

It was twisted. Some people said opposites attracted; others said that similar personalities were what you needed. So what do you do when the guy you love had a similar personality, but was also in direct opposition to you? Does that mean there was no hope at all for a relationship – or twice as much? Double or nothing?

"I'm going now." Nick said, his eyes holding an unspoken plea. I just nodded mutely.

"Keep…keep in touch, okay?" I said, although I knew he wouldn't. I brushed my hand against his cheek. He leaned into my touch for a moment.

"Maybe it's better this way," he opined pathetically.

Yeah. Maybe that debilitating pain of being split right down the middle and losing half of yourself was better.

Maybe it was better to hurt than to not feel at all.

"Maybe it is. Maybe we just aren't ready for the whole…soulmate thing."

Nick shrugged. "I know you don't like being tied. Neither do I. Maybe we aren't."

I'd changed my mind. I liked being tied. I liked it and I wanted it and I wanted _him_.

But I knew I wouldn't say anything.

"I guess this is it then, huh?" I asked again.

"Yes. Yes it is."

I didn't turn from my position at the window, gazing at the now half-disappeared sun which had turned the sky a beautiful fuse of violet, orange, yellow, azure. I felt a light hand rest for a moment in between my shoulder blades, and then the door quietly shut. I shut my eyes tightly, resisting the urge to run after him yelling and begging and crying.

It would make it harder.

He wouldn't leave his principles, I knew that. He said he had things to take care of, and I believed him. So did I though, and that was the trouble. He and I were like when fire and the ocean floor collide, and while it was rapturous, splendid – no-one knew how it would work out. One of us would end up eclipsing the other, extinguishing the other's flame.

Does love have to hurt? I know that's one of the biggest clichés in the world, and sometimes I think that _that's_ what makes it so amazing. Love that just comes and plops itself down into your lap is never as glorious as the love that you fight for.

But _Hell._ This was a different kind of pain altogether.

---

**Readers, I am so sorry. You guys have probably fled and moved on with your lives, have probably outgrown Night World or fanfiction or maybe even reading fullstop. And I have no excuse – well, I do. I have a lot. I moved countries and only just recently (i.e. last month) had my computer flown down (and I couldn't've written fanfiction in the library, I just **_**couldn't**_**. It would have been TERRIBLE). In the past month, this has been in the back of my head – but there've been bills to pay and assignments to write and a lot of growing up to do. I know none of this is any excuse, but believe me when I say every single time I had an email about Author Alerts, Favorites or Review Alerts; I felt completely guilty. I HATE it when ff writers abandon you in the midst of something, and I refuse to do that.**

**So I apologize, wholeheartedly, and here's a bit of something to start it all up again.**

**I've also decided that instead of continuing this in a separate fiction (my original plan was to write a trilogy/tripartite story kind of thing) as follows:**

**1: Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

**2: How'd I Let You Slip Away?**

**3: You Were The Song All Along**

**BUT. After what I've done to you guys, I think for simplicity's sake I'll just continue on in this document itself. I thought separating them story-wise would kind of insert this air of a "break" – but I think my unexpected and inexcusably long hiatus has done that just fine.**

**/bitter and guilty.**

Notes

_Once again, thoughts on love_ – are kind of obsolete when writing this.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	11. Interlude

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **There is no future…there is no past…this disclaimer is the last. There's only now, only tonight – if you say that it's mine, you won't be right.

**Dedication****:** Spookie, the dream.

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note **at the end.

**---**

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Interlude

---

"You're sure?" the tall, blond man asked, his cruel metallic voice ringing out, echoing in the small dark room.

"Of course I'm sure," a petite chestnut-haired woman replied cuttingly. "_You're_ sure that the crystal lit up, and it was her blood staining it?"

"Of course I'm sure," Ragnar snarled back, glaring balefully at the woman now admiring her reflection in a mirror, touching the glass reverently, as though she had never seen her own face before.

"Careful," she replied, without turning around. "Your face might freeze like that."

Ragnar snarled once more and launched himself at the self-satisfied woman, who merely turned and raised a hand. Ragnar recoiled as though he'd run into a brick wall – no pain of impact, just a barrier blocking him.

"Listen to me, Ragnar, and listen well." The woman rose to her full height, her blue eyes glinting imperiously. "You are not my superior. I don't answer to you. Currently, Daybreak has no idea of my existence, which is exceedingly helpful. You will control your temper and you _will_ obey my words. I will not brook any disobedience. Right now, the damned Daybreakers and their leader, the sanctimonious _Thierry_," the woman spat, "are under the impression that you are the new leader of the Night World Council. I like this. It gives us an advantage. But perhaps this pretense of power is going to your head."

Her eyes glowed a poisonous green, emeralds dipped in acid. Ragnar hung his head, barely reigning in his anger. "I am sorry."

A beautiful smile creased the woman's lips, and then she giggled almost girlishly. "Good boy. Now, just to make sure we all understand – when this Daybreak agent, this…Donna…" she said the word as though it left a bad taste in her mouth. "This Donna left her blood on the crystal and when it dropped from her palm, it suddenly lit up?"

Ragnar nodded sullenly.

"Wonderful. I think that we've found what we're all looking for." With that ominous statement, the woman tossed back her russet curls and a triumphant expression settled over her delicately beautiful features, her expressive black eyes glittering.

---

**Yep, two (albeit short) chapters in a short space of time. I hope this shows the true depth of my remorse. Haha.**

Notes

_Something which I'm hoping readers noticed _– I kinda left a clue in there. Review if you see it, review if you don't. But there's something that will definitely carry over and be a fair-sized plot point in the sequel, so if you can catch it, good on you.

**- WalkThruTheFire.**


	12. Chapter 11

**Fandom: **Night World, LJ Smith

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**Dedication****:**

**Summary: **The fourth and final Wild Power needs to be found, and time is running out. Circle Daybreak is taking more desperate measures. But is accepting the aid of a traitor to the Night World desperation or brilliance? And what about their own agent - loose cannon Belladonna Turner?

**Author Note: **Readers, I am so sorry. You guys have probably fled and moved on with your lives, have probably outgrown Night World or fanfiction or maybe even reading fullstop. And I have no excuse – well, I do. I have many. But I'm sure you don't want to hear those. In the past month, this has been in the back of my head – but there've been bills to pay and assignments to write and a lot of growing up to do. I know none of this is any excuse, but believe me when I say every single time I had an email about Author Alerts, Favorites or Review Alerts; I felt completely guilty. I HATE it when ff writers abandon you in the midst of something, and I refuse to do that.

So I apologize, wholeheartedly, and here's a bit of something to start it all up again.

**Where There's Moonlight, I See Your Eyes**

Chapter Eleven

Want to know what I think? Well, even if you don't, too bad. Because I don't really give a shit.

I think that being in love is one of the crappiest things that someone can ever experience. Because you're all up on that high of having found someone who thinks you're wonderful and perfect and you feel the _same damn way_ about him. And then, he ends up leaving you because you're both too stubborn to back down or compromise.

If love is the greatest thing in the world, then being without it after experiencing it is the most terrible feeling you can ever weather. The guy who was meant to be with me for all eternity, who was my _soulmate_, part of my very essence, left me. What does that say? That we weren't meant to be anyway? That I loved him more than he loved me?

Ugh. These kinds of thoughts had pursued me for nights on end, ever since _he_ had left. Left _me_. Bastard. It's been a fortnight, and I've not had a phone call, an email, a text message, a freaking _letter_. Something. Anything. Do you know how crazy-making it is? Throw a girl a bone, dammit. I mean, I know he's okay, I'd know if something happened to him. But doesn't he _care_? I mean, a freaking _text message_ would have meant the world to me.

But whatcha gonna do, right?

_Right?_

Things haven't changed much since then. By 'then' I mean a coupla months ago. You know, it's vaguely ridiculous. Do you know the Romeo and Juliet debacle happened in three days? _Three_. And hell – maybe there's a reason people read the damn play and say it's the most romantic slush every written.

Life's been going on. The standard mission every now and then – intelligence, mostly. Time's are a-changing and they're doing it swiftly. The final battle is upon us.

I've been fairly out of it lately – my own fault. I took off for a month, visited some places I've been wanting to. Dumb teenage stuff. The Little Mermaid statue, some libraries.

Didn't make it go away though. The pain?

Because all I wanted – all I want? Is for someone to be next to me, admiring the freaking view with me. I could be in Paris, Texas in some seedy dive of a greasy spoon, watching the sun go down like the Devil's after it – it'd be the prettiest sunset in the history of Creation if he'd been there.

Nick.

What kinda stupid name is Nick anyway?

Did he have a middle name? I never stopped to find out, even when I was in his head.

Geez, I slept with him and for all I know his middle name could've been Engelbert. Marmaduke. _Dana_.

This soulmate thing messes you up, it does. The starlight and wonder and tossing caution to the wind – foolishness, right down to the end. I thought I was invincible, but turns out I was far from it.

A month of traveling, of using money I didn't really have; and it got me nowhere. Dr. Phil would have a field day. And when I got back, my credibility was shot to shreds. Tatters. Took me the last month to pull myself back together – or at least project a semblance of efficiency – before Thierry and the rest of the Circle would let me go back on missions.

I'm good at what I do. I am. Why else would I be a member of the inner circle? I'm one of the best they have. I have an eidetic memory. I have a good grasp of languages. I learn 'em easy. I speak a bunch. Can't spell for beans though. Ridiculous.

I'm average height, weight, build. I blend into a crowd like white on paper. I'm agile, strong for my size (not saying much though) and I think fast. It took _work_ for me to get into the Inner Circle, to fight the good fight, and I intend to stay. I do.

But fact is, I was a wreck the past coupla months. And hell, even _I_ wouldn't want me on a mission. I came back and sorted myself out as best I could.

And I'm better now. I totally am. Sure, I miss him like a limb. Or maybe an organ. But there's a bigger picture. More people in the world than just him and I.

And today's a day to keep my mind _off_ that bloodsucking soulmate no-show of mine and _on_ what's at hand.

First mission in a while. Testing the waters. Or, as I say, playing guard dog. The other side was transferring some documents – old stuff, illuminated manuscripts. More prophecies, knowing our luck. And a bunch of us were going to intercept the exchange.

"I've missed this," I said to Rashel. My nerves were singing. It'd been too long. The boring stake-outs, the high you get from moving – some sick part of me missed it.

"You're weird," she hissed back, in her patented crouch: one leg curled under her, the other stretched out ahead. Apparently it allows for unrestricted movement in all directions.

I smiled despite myself. Dawn was a few hours away, it was chilly and damp; but my thick sweater kept out the bite of the wind. I had tough hiking boots on – definitely not mine, Hannah and I are both a six – and in the left there was a bamboo knife. In the right, a stake. And hell, I know they make it sound cool in books and TV, but shoes are not made to tuck stuff into. We were staked out in the back of a packing truck, with me in the driver's seat keeping an eye out. The exchange which was supposedly going to take place in the parking lot of a dingy old five-and-dime where we were parked.

Rashel, Quinn, me and somewhat oddly, Iliana. She'd pulled to manage to come along – Phil hadn't been too happy, either. Lucky I loved the girl, if not I'd be bitching about how she made the job so much harder. Expendable she is not.

Suddenly, movement. A light blue Chevy pulled into the parking lot, just a few spaces over. The passenger-side door opened, and a wiry thin man stepped out, casting searching looks left and right – I quickly ducked down. When he was satisfied that they were alone, he said something to his partner, who stepped out of the car too.

Minutes later, they were joined by a black Lexus – tasteful – and a tall vampire joined the duo on the tarmac. The boot of the Chevy was popped – from my vantage point; I could see a crate tucked inside.

"Guys," I called, my throat dry. I swallowed. "Guys, I think it's time for us to move. Three of them. One's a shifter, another's leech. No idea about the third, can't see much from where I am."

I heard muffled curses. Still, three of them and three of us – decent odds. I didn't count Iliana. She would be staying in the truck, hanging back unless absolutely necessary.

And we were employing my favorite strategy: charging in blindly.

I threw the door open and followed Rashel and Quinn, with Iliana scrambling into the seat I'd recently vacated. She gunned the engine in readiness, which alerted the Night People of our approach. _Damn_.

Still. I dove at the sinewy vampire who got out of the Lexus, throwing us both to the ground. We rolled, I came up top and kneed him firmly in the groin. He hissed, tossed me away as though I weighed nothing, and kicked me in the side. I tried to find purchase to scramble up, but just as I did another agonizing kick landed on my ribs. Knives blossomed in my gut. So did anger. I rolled once more, but towards him – used his surprise against him and hooked a leg around his ankle. He stumbled, but quickly righted himself – damn vampire reflexes – but in that instant I'd got to my feet. He snarled – dark hair and skin contrasting sharply with white fangs – and launched himself at me. By some miracle I managed to sidestep smartly, whip the stake out of my boot and stab him, quite literally, in the bank. Miles away from the heart, but the poison in the wood did the trick. The leech groaned and seized me by the throat – I retaliated by jabbing my thumbs into his eye. No-one, regardless of how big or bad, can stand digits in the eye socket.

Lexus Vampire immediately released his hold on me, and I took the opportunity to use the bloody stake again, promptly stabbing him in a kidney. Shooting from the hip, as it were. He roared, sank to his knees – I swiftly kicked him in the face, shuddering at the sensation – vampire bone was _tough_ – then straddled him. I cast a quick look at Rashel and Quinn – Rashel had knocked out the shifter she'd been dueling, and was standing by watching Quinn dance circles around his opponent like he was having the time of his life. There were twin feral grins on their faces. Cue me like what the _hell_? Bunch of weirdoes. But back to Lexus Vampire.

"Who sent you?" I hissed, the stake at his throat. "Specifically. Name names."

Despite the bloody features and pain he was obviously in, Lexus Vampire sneered.

"You Daybreakers are so damn stupid. Screw you and the horse you rode in on, _vermin_."

Only he didn't say 'screw', if you get my meaning.

"Don't avoid the question," I shot back, matching his tone. "Cos only thing standing between you and a pile of dust is how useful you prove to be, you bloodsucking freak."

Lexus Vampire began laughing, then paused. He gave me searching look, as though… Almost as if… He knew me.

"Donna?"

The blood drained from my face. "What?"

The laughing continued. "You're Donna. Oh my God. You're the stupid piece of trash Nick brought back before he turned traitor. What happened, did he use you and throw you away? He's good at that. He's a charming guy." The laughter became louder, more insistent. Bells were ringing in my head; my whole body was flooded with rage – and sadness. Awful, painful, keening sadness.

I didn't bother with smart replies. I hit him in the face with the butt of the stake.

I hit him again. Blood pooled at a corner of his mouth. Not his. Some poor human being's.

I hit again.

And again.

And again.

The world dissolved to a gray swirl. There was me, the vampire's face, and the stake. Again. I kept hitting. I heard, in the periphery, urgent voices. Shocked noises.

Didn't matter.

I kept hitting.


End file.
